Mind Meld
by Ariande
Summary: A potions...incident has far reaching consequences. Draco and Harry find themselves facing events that they can't explain. DMHP. Accidental bonding, semisuper powers and HBP spoiler, though not compliant.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One.

Harry couldn't believe that git Malfoy! One day left in classes before the end of their fifth year. The attack at the ministry was not so long ago. Lucius Malfoy was rotting in Azkaban. Good place for him. And there was Draco strutting around the place like nothing had happened. Like he bloody owned the place!

They were on their way to potions exams. Harry glared hard at Draco's back. If only looks could kill. Harry cursed Dumbledore's belief that the student shouldn't be held responsible for the parent's actions. Lucius Malfoy was nothing but scum, and his son wasn't much better.

Feeling slightly better, he then proceeded to curse Snape for being the only professor that found it necessary to have his own exam. Like the OWLs weren't enough? And wouldn't it be enough for any professor after the year they had all had? Umbridge wrecking havoc. Fight against Voldemort at the Ministry. Losing Sirius. Just how much was one person supposed to do?

Harry grabbed a desk at the back of the room. Looked like they were supposed to be just one to a desk today. Must be independent potions. Snape swept into the room.

"Everyone will come to the front of the class and take a slip from the pile. You will gather the necessary ingredients, return to your desk and make the potion indicated. No talking." He set a pile of papers on the desk and stepped back. Harry looked at him with confusion. This was the most fair that Snape had ever been. Usually he assigned potions. Making sure Harry got the most complex and impossible to finish in the time given, and Draco always seemed to get the ones that involved all of three ingredients and two stirs. He wondered what Snape was playing at.

Slowly he approached the desk. Hermione grabbed a slip and peeked at the potion. She seemed pleased with what she got, based on the big smile on her face. Harry grabbed the next paper ignoring the mutterings of the other students and peeked at it. Great, an absorption potion. These he actually had the hang of. This one was a particularly tricky one, but one that he thought he could do. Slowly, going over the ingredients in his head he gathered the items he needed and headed back to the desk. No time to think about Sirius or that slimy git Malfoy. Finish the test. Go back to the tower, just be alone. He didn't want to bother Hermione or Ron. He just wanted to be alone.

The time passed quickly. Harry was almost finished with his potion when he felt something hit him in the back of the head. He turned his head around, and spotted Malfoy smirking at him.

"Potter!" snapped Snape. "I suggest that you keep your eyes on your own potion." Harry turned back around.

"Worse than an orphan now eh Scar-head? Now you don't even have your convict god-father to hide behind," at that Harry whipped around so quickly his potion went flying right into Malfoy spilling its contents on both of them. He launched himself across the tables, knocking everything over, including Malfoy's potion. He could hear Snape yelling, but didn't care. His wand drawn, he noticed Malfoys was as well.

"Imper.." started Malfoy, as Harry shouted "Impedi.." both curses were broken off by Snape's own "Expeliramus" Their wands went flying through the air.

Harry didn't pause. His eyes locked with Malfoy's he drew back his fist. Something flickered behind Malfoy's eyes staying Harry's hand for a split-second.

His scar hurt! Blinding pain. He screamed, noticed that it wasn't just his scar. His whole body was in pain. Agony, tearing through his body. Writhing on the floor his head was clenched in his hands. Vaguely he heard noises outside his head. Screams, popping noises but he couldn't have identified any of the sounds. The pain seemed to grow, intensifying, expanding. It was worse than the Cruciatus, even that cast by Voldemort himself. Finally, he couldn't take any more and everything went black.

Slowly Harry regained consciousness. He refused to move, to open his eyes. Fear of the intense pain held him motionless. He heard voices in the hallway.

"I have no idea what happened Headmaster." Snape's voice was curt. "Potter was working on an Absorption potion, Malfoy was working on a Transformation potion. Neither one of the potions could have caused the symptoms these boys showed. Malfoy's potion wasn't even completed. He hadn't added the piece of the target."

"Not polyjuice obviously" stated Dumbledore.

"Of course not. That takes far too long, and is much too complex for fifth year. Just a simple appearance altering. Hair color, straightening, that sort of thing. He was supposed to make one that would change the hair color." Snape sounded affronted that Dumbledore would believe the polyjuice would be made in his classroom.

"Obviously, I have had to do without the final exam. With the explosion of magic from those two, I will be lucky to have the classroom back in shape before the start of next school year." Harry puzzled over that. He thought about the popping noises and screams. What two? Malfoy? Somehow he couldn't picture him losing control of his magic the way Harry always seemed to.

"It is okay Severus" said Dumbledore. He sounded distracted. "I just wish we could figure out what caused both boys to react like that. I could hear the screams in the Great Hall. Very disturbing. If it was just Harry, I would believe that Voldemort was up to something big. As it is..." his voice trailed off.

Dumbledore sighed. "We are just lucky none of the other students were injured. Some impressive shielding work I must say Severus. Are you sure you don't want Madam Pomfrey to look at those wounds?"

Wounds? Harry was confused. Had he injured Snape? His mind was whirling. He tried to understand what had happened. Apparently Malfoy had had the same problem as he had. They somehow caused a magical explosion before finally passing out. But what was it about? Harry remembered his scar exploding in pain. But that wasn't right either. It wasn't just his scar. He was just used to that.

He could hear Dumbledore and Snape's footsteps fading. He had somehow forgotten to keep listening. But apparently Snape wasn't in the mood to be healed.

"What the fuck did you do to me Potter?" snapped a voice from the other bed. Harry opened his eyes to see Malfoy lying cautiously on his side, facing Harry, glaring.

"What did I do to YOU? You started the whole damn thing! How dare you say that about Sirius!?" Harry felt outrage building in him. Suddenly his head started to hurt again. He looked at Malfoy and saw him also holding his head.

Bastard! Harry thought.

"Shut up Potter," muttered Malfoy and he rolled over. Harry also rolled over. Just then Madam Pomfrey entered the room.

"Good! Both of you are awake. Dumbledore will be pleased." She hurried to Harry's side and looked into his face. "You have a headache." She stated, and then repeated it with Malfoy.

'Points for the obvious' said Malfoy as she left the room. Harry ignored him. Madam Pomfrey returned to the room and forced a potion on each of them.

"Dumbledore will be here shortly. I expect he is going to want to find out what happened. Not that I wouldn't like to know as well. Hard to treat an illness when I don't know what it is. And the diagnostic spells aren't working. Darnedest thing." She bustled around the two, watching to make sure they both drank all of their potions.

Dumbledore entered just as Harry finished the last of the glass.

"Do either of you have any insight you can offer as to what happened today?" He asked them.

"Ask Potter" snarled Malfoy. Harry looked as Dumbledore and shrugged.

"I have no idea what happened Sir" he answered.

Dumbledore looked at Malfoy. "Mr Malfoy. You attempted to cast an Unforgivable. Be grateful that Professor Snape stopped you. Otherwise..." Dumbledore left the rest of the sentence unspoken as he turned back to Harry. "As for you Mr. Potter. You attacked another student disrupting an exam. If it weren't for the fact that you return home tomorrow, I would issue a months worth of detention to both of you. As it is, twenty-five points from each of you. When you return next year, one week of detention." With a very disappointed look Dumbledore shook his head and left the room.

Madam Pomfrey returned right after he left and checked both of them one more time. Harry refused to acknowledge Malfoy's presence and yielded to the sleep pulling at him.

Thanks to the potion, his sleep that night was deep and unbroken, though not dreamless. He had flashes of running across a field, towards a large house. A strap hitting his back, his legs, screams. Being locked in a room. Let out for dinner. Back into the room. A voice yelling "You will!"

When he woke, Harry was not able to recall exactly what he had been dreaming about. Just felt strange. Like memories that he should have but couldn't recall. Harry shrugged and headed to breakfast. He ignored the snide comments Malfoy made. Maybe because they just didn't seem as sharp as they usually were. Somehow Malfoy seemed to be losing his touch. Harry barely heard the comments.

The trip to Kings Crossing was a very silent train ride. Harry tried hard not to think about Sirius. Ron and Hermione didn't seem to know what to say to him.

They tried to ask what had happened in the Potions room. As Harry had no idea, he just shrugged. After that they were quiet. Part of him wished they would talk. About something. Anything. Except Sirius. Just pretend everything was normal. Something so he could pretend to himself that he didn't feel the despair. The desperation that had for even a moment made him want to beg Dumbledore to kill him just so he could join Sirius. Granted, he was possessed by Voldemort at the time, but the desperation was still there.

As the silent group left Hogwart's Express, they paused.

"Don't worry about the Dursley's Harry," said Ron. "Mum said that you can come and stay for the second half of the summer."

Harry forced a smile for Ron and nodded. "I just hope I can get that far without blowing someone up." Harry joked. He knew it was weak, but it seemed to be enough for Ron and Hermione. He saw Mrs. Weasley rushing towards them. She gathered Ron and Harry and Ginny into a large hug. Somehow finding room in her arms for all three of them.

Harry let himself be hugged for a few moments, enjoying the feel of a mothering touch before he pulled away. It wasn't his mother. His died. Because of him. He pushed the thought away and smiled up at Ron's mother.

"I guess, I'll see you later this summer?" he said to the small group.

"Harry," Molly started. She paused. Harry looked at her, avoiding contact with her eyes. He couldn't bear to see pity. She took his face in her hands and turned it up to meet her gaze. "Owl us if things get too much there. We can be there in no time."

Harry smiled his first true smile. He knew she meant it. "It'll be okay. Only for half a summer anyhow right?"

She let go of his chin and brushed the hair out of his face. "Yes. First of August and we will be there to get you." Quickly, as if afraid he would pull away; she pressed a kiss to the top of his head, and then turned to Ginny and Ron.

"Okay you two, let's get your stuff and head home. Your father will be waiting for us. He will be nervous if we are late." She left unspoken the reason for his concern. No one needed to actually hear it spoken. Harry turned to go and was hugged hard by Hermione. He felt the breath squeezed out of him for a brief moment. Enough to bring another smile to his face. Just as quickly she let him go, right as he was about to say something about needing oxygen. 


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Not Mine. All JKR's characters.

A/N- I'm suffering from lack of reviews...Help me out. Let me know what you think of this.

Chapter Two

Harry took a deep breath, as much from lack of air as to fortify himself to face the Dursley's. Turning to where he knew they were, and headed towards them. His Uncle Vernon was glaring at Harry. Dudley was smirking. That didn't bode well. When Dudley smirked at Harry, he knew something was bad. Trailing behind them, he loaded his bags into the car.

They no sooner got into the house when Harry found out what happened. Dudley started snickering almost at the same moment that Uncle Vernon started yelling.

"OWLS! Delivering MAIL! Telling me that you have been fighting. And that no-good murdering god-father of yours is dead! That school is nothing but trouble." The yelling kept going on. Harry tuned out his uncle. He didn't want to hear any more. The only thing he had for protection was gone. As long as the Dursley's had believed that he had a godfather that was a murderer, he could live pretty free. Now...Harry sighed.

Finally Uncle Vernon seemed to be wearing down. "Can I go to my room now?" He asked, interrupting his uncle's tirade when it became obvious he was only stopping for breath. Not waiting for an answer, he headed to the bedroom. He set Hedwig's cage in the corner and barely dragged his trunk through the door. He heard the lock clicking behind him and sighed. It was going to be a long summer. Locked up again. At least he would be alone.

He lay on the bed and stared up at the ceiling.

"OW!" Harry sat bolt upright in bed. His face stung! Gingerly he touched his cheek and looked around the room. It felt like his cheek was swelling but he could feel that it wasn't. He went to his trunk and pulled out one of the shards of mirror that was in the bottom. Looking in the mirror he couldn't see anything unusual, but his cheek still hurt. It felt rather like Dudley had punched him, but without the bruising.

Testing his jaw, Harry began to look around the room in earnest. He really hoped it wasn't another creature, like Dobby trying to get in to talk to him. After searching through all Dudley's broken stuff, his closet and under the furniture, he finally gave up and lay back on the bed.

Finally, bored, he fell asleep, his cheek still throbbing. His dreams were once again a strange mix. He recalled being carried through Knockturn Alley, his face hidden in his father's shoulder. He was yelling at him to quit showing fear or he would leave him there to find his own way out.

HPDMHPDMHPDMHPDMHPDMHPDMHPDMHPDM

He mulled the thought in his head for a bit before discovering that he was hungry. He looked out the window and saw that it was fairly late. The sky was dark outside and he went to the door to see if they had given him any food. Nothing. Harry went back to his trunk and pulled out a box of Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans. He wondered to himself if meat pie jelly beans could actually count as a balanced meal.

As he sat on his bed and stared at the ceiling his thoughts drifted back to Sirius. He wondered if he could just go back to sleep so he wouldn't have to think about Sirius. Silently in his head he started to name off the different Quiddich teams and various plays. When he ran out of them, he started going over famous games. Anything to stomp out thoughts of Sirius. Finally, he drifted off to sleep.

Once again, strange dreams disturbed his sleep. They felt more like memories trying to make themselves known. Of his father, his mother, strange people, places. When Harry woke, he felt even more confused. He couldn't understand the dreams. They didn't feel like Voldemort dreams, his scar didn't hurt for one thing.

What else could they be? His parents couldn't possibly have taken him to Knockturn Alley. They were dead by the time that memory had occurred, weren't they? And Harry couldn't have ridden a broom. He was too young when his parents were alive, and the Dursleys would have locked him in his room for all his childhood years if he had tried.

Harry had decided to ask Sirius about it when the thought hit hard, he wouldn't be able to. Never again could he ask Sirius about his parents. He felt the loss cutting through him, the razor edge of pain. The knowledge that not only had he lost his godfather, someone like a father to him, but the person that was also closest to his father. One who answered his questions with honesty and love. Once again Harry felt like he had lost his parents.

He felt the deep, almost overwhelming despair. It drove him to his knees. Tears filled his eyes but he refused to let them fall. He focused on the face of Bellatrix Lestrange. Rage began to seep through him obscuring his grief. His drew the anger and hatred of Snape in his mind next. Followed by the vision of Lucius Malfoy.

For some reason he didn't understand the picture in his mind of Malfoy seemed to also cause fear. He paused in his contemplations. Fear? Why would he be afraid of Lucius Malfoy? Three times he had faced him down. Three times Malfoy had lost in conflict to Harry. He felt himself start to shake and quickly changed his train of thought.

Hedwig began to make herself noticed. She gave him a soft hoot of displeasure. Harry looked over at her.

"Sorry girl," he apologized. "They haven't even fed me yet. I don't have anything to give you." She turned her back to him in annoyance.

Just then he heard the key in the lock. Aunt Pentunia was at the door letting him out for a brief time to use the bathroom. When he got back he noticed the small tray that she was holding of food. A small bowl of cereal and a quarter of grapefruit. 'Well, it was more than what I got last time I was locked up,' he thought.

He took the tray from her and headed into his room. "The Weasleys are coming to pick me up on August 1st," he said as he walked in. His tone wasn't one of asking permission. He didn't wait for a response as he walked to his desk and set down the tray. He heard the door lock behind him but didn't look up from eating.

After he was sure she was gone, he took a small amount of the cereal to Hedwig. She picked at the food with a disgusted look at Harry.

Harry lay back on his bed. He stared up at the ceiling. Deliberately he kept his mind blank. If he didn't think, then he wouldn't accidentally think about... He began to count the tiles on the ceiling. Before too long, he drifted off to sleep.

Suddenly he woke, filled with fear. He didn't know what the cause was. Harry looked around the room. Hedwig was sleeping quietly, undisturbed. Harry went to the window trying to see outside. The cold fear that filled his body was beyond anything he could remember. He curled up into a ball on his bed. Slowly he started rocking. There was nothing to cause this kind of fear. He didn't even feel this fear when he faced Voldemort. Suddenly he felt a sharp pain across his back. He yelled out with the shock. The pain was joined by another across his chest. Then his legs, his back again. The pain was so intense he didn't even realize he had been screaming.

"What is wrong with you boy!" hollered his Uncle Vernon. Harry opened his eyes to see him staring at him. His uncle's face was bright red with fury.

"I don't know," Harry gasped. He yelled again when it felt like a foot had connected solidly with his chest. He swore loudly and glared at his uncle. "You broke a rib!" he tried to yell at his uncle but realized it couldn't possibly be him. He was too far away, and backing away further. The look on his uncle's face was disgust and fear.

"This is what happens when you mess with that freaky magic!" his uncle yelled. His face was bright red. He turned, grabbed Harry's wand from the dresser and slammed the door behind him.

Harry writhed on the bed in pain. He felt like his whole body was a large bruise. Slowly he peeled up his shirt. Nothing. No bruises, no marks. He ran a hand along his ribs feeling for the broken bone. Nothing. Everything was as it should be. Except for the intense pain.

For two days he lay curled on his bed, barely able to move. He dragged himself out of bed whenever his aunt came to let him use the bathroom. Carefully and with pride he walked back and forth, not showing any sign of pain. By the time he got back to the room and the door locked behind him he barely had energy enough to collapse on the bed. He couldn't eat so he just grabbed enough food to give Hedwig and left the rest.

Finally, the third day, Harry realized the pain was almost bearable. When his aunt let him out this day, he didn't almost bite through his lip to hold back the pain. On his way back to the room he glared into his aunt's eyes. He saw a flicker of something in her eyes, but couldn't identify it before it was gone again.

That afternoon he found the tray again. There was half of the normal amount of food on the tray. First he gave Hedwig some food, then gobbled up what was left, being careful with his arm. He knew there was nothing bruised or broken, but it felt like it. He didn't want to risk renewing the pain.

Several days passed before he could move freely without fear of the pain. Even his rib felt like it had healed completely. His meals however remained small. When he complained his uncle informed him that if he couldn't eat his meals properly they weren't going to waste food on him. Harry wondered how long he could feed both him and Hedwig on the meager portions they were feeding him. He tried to hold out on the snacks he had stored in the trunk, limiting himself to just a small amount each day. After a couple days he made a large pile on the bed, counted the days until August 1 and then began to separate the piles, creating a daily ration.

He realized later just how hungry he must be when he bit into a rotten egg jelly bean and realized that he barely noticed the flavor, finishing it off quickly and taking the small piece of chocolate frog he had for today. With bitterness he realized that none of this would have been an issue if not for Malfoy starting that damn fight.

'Bloody Fucking Malfoy!' his mind screamed.

'POTTER!?!' came the immediate response. Harry jumped an started looking around his room for Draco Malfoy. The voice was loud and seemed to come from nearby.

'What the fuck are you playing at now Malfoy!?' he thought in fury when he realized that no one was in there.

'ME! I'm not the one that just started yelling at someone in their own home, their own mind,' Malfoy's voice was loud and clear. This time Harry recognized that the voice seemed to be from within his head.

'What the hell are you talking about?' he thought.

'You just cussed me out. I thought I was losing my mind,' replied Malfoy. 'On second thought, hearing voices really isn't a good thing. I must be losing my mind.' Harry could hear the doubt in Malfoy's voice.

Harry snickered at the echo of his own second year conversation. 'Sod off Potter. This really isn't funny.'

'Sure it is. Draco Bloody Malfoy doubting his sanity. I always doubted it. Just nice to know you are catching up.' Harry couldn't believe he was having a THOUGHT conversation with Draco.

'Piss off' came the response. Harry ignored the voice.

Silence reigned for about an hour. Finally he heard 'I don't get it.'

'Me either.' Harry knew Malfoy must be thinking what he was. 'Why you? And why not all the time?'

'Bloody hell! It must have been that...whatever in Potions!' Harry could hear the dismay in Malfoy.

'Whatever it is, it seems we only hear if we are focusing towards each other. So that means we should be able to just IGNORE each other!' Harry said back, maliciously.

'Fine by me!' Malfoy snapped.

Several hours passed. Harry passed time by counting the specks on the ceiling.

'Potter?' came a tentative voice.

'What?' Harry tried to work up anger at being bugged by Malfoy, but found he was too bored. Any interruption was welcome. Maybe a good argument with Malfoy and he could have enough anger to keep him entertained for the rest of the evening. Maybe if it was good enough, he wouldn't be bored for the next . . .two weeks.

'I'm really bored. And strangely, hungry. Even though I just ate.' There was a certain amount of confusion in Malfoy's voice.

Harry's stomach growled loudly. He searched for the allotment of snacks he had for today. A thought occurred to him.

'Malfoy?' he knew he was very tentative in his query. Silence. He sense Malfoy was waiting for him to continue.

'Did.. I mean, Do you…' Harry didn't know how to go on.

'Oh geez, your thoughts are as bad as your mouth. Finish a damn thought,' came the response.

Harry felt slightly angry and so he just let the thought go. 'Did you get beaten?'

'What! Of course not.' Harry didn't think he believed him. To prove his point he walked to the desk and punched it hard. The pain shot up his arm.

'OW! DAMN! What the HELL was that!' Malfoy voice rang extremely loud in his head. A string of curses followed, some rather inventive and new to Harry, despite Ron's rather foul mouth.

'I punched a desk.' He replied, when there was a pause.

'Why the hell would you do an idiotic thing like that. Wait!' Harry could sense what was occurring to Malfoy. 'So, if you punched a desk and it hurt me then…' he didn't finish the thought.

'Then I couldn't move for three days because I felt like I had broken ribs and every inch of me felt black and blue.' This thought was accompanied by more than a small amount of bitterness. Especially since his food was cut way back as a result.

'Oh.' Malfoy's tone was rather subdued and thoughtful. 'I thought it felt, less painful.' There was a pause.

'But wait, I still felt it, so you must still have felt the desk thing.' Harry rubbed his hand.

'Yeah. It did. But I made my point,' there was a definite smirk in Harry's voice.

'Jackass' The insult didn't seem to carry much heat.

Harry started picking at the food he had gotten. He felt his stomach growl again. Quickly he ate the small pile, not stopping to taste the food, hoping Malfoy wouldn't put together the pieces.

Hope that was in vain. 'You are starving!' came the indignant voice.

Sigh. 'Yes.' Harry didn't expand on his answer. He knew it was pointless to hope Malfoy would get the hint.

'Why don't you get some food? This hunger is driving me nuts!' the tone was petulant.

'Because I'm locked up damnit!' The thought escaped Harry before he could control it.

There was silence and Harry waited for the taunting that he expected. He had given Malfoy something way too much to let it go.

'Me too.' The response shocked Harry.

'Why?' he asked. He waited for a response. 

'Fighting with you. Same thing?' Harry pondered that.

'No. Well, sorta. It's confusing. Dumbledore Owled my aunt and uncle about the fight. He mentioned that Si..my .. the death. He was the reason they left me alone the last couple summers.' Harry wasn't about to talk about (er, think about?) Sirius with Malfoy.

'Oh. If they hate you so much, why do you go back to them? Why didn't you go with your godfather?' Harry knew that Malfoy had a right to be curious, but he didn't want to answer the questions.

'Why should I tell you? So you can run to your Death Eater daddy and friends and share everything?' He knew he was being nasty and he didn't care.

'Screw you.' The nastiness was back in Malfoy.

Harry reached over and turned off the light. He rolled over to go to sleep.

'Potter?' Harry ignored him. Three more times Malfoy called his name before giving up.

He lay in bed for some time. He couldn't fall asleep. He felt guilty. 'Sorry' he thought.

'Goodnight.' With a small smile, Harry rolled over and fell asleep. Somehow, tonight he didn't feel so alone. Not so afraid. 


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: Still not mine. Still belong to JKR and those people that actually make money from Harry and gang.

He saw the hallway. Heard the footsteps that went down it. He heard the sound of voices behind doors. He knew he was headed for one specific room. The person he needed to do away with lay in that room.

The hallway passed slowly. Finally he opened a door. Inside, sitting in a chair, relaxing in front of a fire, unaware of any danger sat a small man. He never had time to do more than look up. The curse hit him square on. The man dropped where he sat. Harry tried to scream a warning, one that was never heard.

He gave a maniacal laugh, and went to the desk in the corner. He opened the top drawer, closed it, and then opened it again. The contents had changed and he grabbed a parchment. He went back down the hallway. A door opened and a person stepped through it. Harry wanted to yell at them, tell them not to come out. The jet of green light hit them in the chest before they knew what was happening. He went out the door and down the walkway. At the edge he turned and cast a complex spell. The Dark Mark now hung above the house. As he turned away, his reflection shone in the window. A triumphant look was in his bright red eyes.

Harry sat up with a gasp. His scar burned! His heart was racing. He felt the impotent rage and fear. He was soaked in sweat. He wrapped his arms around his legs and started to rock.

'What the hell was that!?' The question that rang in his head wasn't angry. It sounded more afraid.

Harry laughed a touch hysterically. 'You mean to tell me you don't recognize your precious Lord Voldemort?' He filled the last two words with venom. He felt rather than heard the shock go through Malfoy.

There was silence for a few moments. Harry felt himself slowly stop shaking. He stopped rocking and got up to pace the room.

The next time he heard Malfoy, it was almost timid. 'Is that...Does he really look like...THAT?'

Harry sighed. 'Yes.' He didn't expand on it.

'How come...I mean, do you…' he knew Malfoy was at a loss for words and somehow that struck Harry as funny, given Malfoy had been bitching him out for it earlier. He started laughing.

'What? ' Harry could hear the indignation in Malfoy's voice. So he explained. There was suddenly amusement from Malfoy too.

When they calmed down he heard Malfoy ask the question he knew was coming 'Do you always dream like that? I mean, it was...weird.'

Harry wondered what he should tell Malfoy. He was a Death Eater's son. But somehow he had never seen the Dark Lord. The pieces of all he had learned about Malfoy yesterday didn't seem to be adding up. The definitely didn't fit with what he already knew about him. Taking a leap, he went ahead and told Malfoy. Not like he would be learning something that Voldemort didn't already know.

'Only in the past few years. Whenever Voldemort is feeling happy, or angry. Or doing something big.' He paused. 'It is the scar. Somehow it connects me and Voldemort. I can see through his eyes. Something like that.'

Harry felt Malfoy's shock. 'I… I had no idea. How, er how do you deal with it?'

Harry bit back a sob. For the first time someone else knew what it meant. 'I shake, sweat, shudder, pace the floor, then finally lay in bed until morning.' he answered Malfoy honestly.

'I don't know how you could go back to sleep. I would be…Nevermind.' Harry knew what Malfoy wanted to say. He let it go.

'Malfoy?' a thought had occurred to him.

'Yeah?'

'Um, this may sound strange but, I think there is something else going on.' Harry couldn't figure out how to put words to his thought.

'What do you mean? Besides the fact that we can talk to each other in our minds and feel it when the other gets injured? There is something strange?' He heard the sarcasm.

Harry snickered. 'Well, yes. I think, well, I feel what you are feeling. I mean, when I told you, you felt shock. I felt your amusement and, confusion' Harry drifted off.

'I think I know what you mean. I knew you were laughing, but I couldn't hear it.' Harry could tell it was puzzling Malfoy as well.

'Do you think this … weirdness will wear off by the time school starts again?' Harry asked.

'Dunno. Seems to be getting stronger though.' Malfoy answered. 'Why?'

Harry smiled. 'Because, we keep this up and it is going really hard to treat you with the appropriate amount of loathing and disgust.' He lay down and enjoyed the sound of Malfoy's laughter in his head.

'Goodnight,' he said simply. He felt Malfoy fall asleep quickly.

The next few days passed fairly quickly. He and Malfoy talked about a variety of things. Never anything personal. They learned which topics should be left alone. They were quickly becoming adept at reading each other's emotions. They rarely commented on it, except maybe to ask what was so funny. But to Harry, Malfoy's emotions seemed to almost be mixing with his own at times. When Malfoy was angry, Harry found himself getting angry, without knowing what was upsetting him, laughing without knowing why, only that Malfoy was.

The loneliness that Harry felt in his soul seemed to have slipped away without Harry knowing when. But he knew why. Malfoy. As strange as it was, Malfoy was ...comforting. And that thought disturbed him slightly.

It wasn't until he woke from another dream/vision that he gave voice to it. He woke in terror, sweating, gasping for breath. He could feel that Malfoy was awake as well. Instead of just the fear he felt, comforting. He knew that was coming from Malfoy. He could almost swear he could feel Malfoy's hand on his back. He could see it in his mind.

'He used me before' Harry said.

'What?' Malfoy's voice was confused.

'Before, with ...Sirius,' it was the first time Harry had said Sirius' name to Malfoy. It was a forbidden topic. 'He sent me a vision. Sirius was in trouble. He was being tortured. It was a trap. Voldemort just wanted to get me into the Ministry.'

He could sense that Malfoy was not sure what to say. 'That was the night...?'

'Yeah. Like an idiot, I took off. I didn't believe that ...I took Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville, and Luna and put them in danger. And it was a trap. I got him killed.' Harry felt the anger building in him.

'Harry, no. You didn't know.' Harry gave a start. It was the first time Malfoy had called him Harry. 'He has made idiots out of a lot of really powerful wizards. Like my father.' Harry felt curious at that bitter comment, but went on with what he was trying to say.

'I guess. I just don't know why. Why do I sort of, well, trust you? How do I know this? You, me, the connection isn't some new torture Voldemort has come up with?' He felt Malfoy's hurt and recoiled from the strength of it.

'DRACO! No, I didn't mean it like that,' he felt it deep within, pain that he had caused Draco hurt. 'I don't mean talking to you is torture, it is the only thing keeping me sane.'

Harry took a deep breath and plunged ahead. 'I just mean that, he has used my mind before. How do I know he isn't doing it again? That you are really, you... and frankly, you aren't being an arse and that should be a clue that it is something else, but somehow I know it is you, and I trust you when you have never given me reason to do so in the past and none of this makes sense but it feels right somehow and that bothers me because frankly, nothing ever feels right so why would something as strange and wrong feel this right?' He knew he was babbling and tried to cut it off.

Slowly he felt the hurt drain from Malfoy...Draco. He gave a sigh of relief.

'I won't take the Dark Mark.' The comment took Harry by surprise.

'What?' he asked.

'Why I'm locked up. Why I was beaten. I won't take the Dark Mark. The Dark Lord wants someone inside Hogwarts. Preferably a student, someone that won't be suspect.' Harry shuddered. No one would suspect students of doing anything. They were after all, just kids.

'But, I thought you said it was for fighting with me?' he asked the easiest question first.

'It was. I drew attention to myself. Gave cause to arouse suspicion if something happens …'

'To me.' Harry finished the thought Malfoy was reluctant to.

'Yeah.' He felt something that he couldn't identify coming from Malfoy. 'Draco?'

'What?' There it was again, the strange emotion.

'This complicates things doesn't it?' he felt Malfoy start laughing.

'That Potter...Harry, is a bit of an understatement.' Harry knew he should be afraid that Voldemort was planning on killing him, but somehow he couldn't work up fear. He had been after him for years. It was just part of what he already knew. That Voldemort would kill him however he could.

'Harry, I don't get it. I just told you that he is plotting to kill you, and you don't have the slightest amount of fear. How can you be so calm?' Draco was truly confused. Harry could sense that.

'Bastard has been trying to kill me since first year. Somehow, actually hearing about the plot ahead of time just seems kinda...amusing.' Harry gave a cold laugh.

'Besides,' Harry continued. 'He won't let someone else do the deed. They can't. Only he can.'

'What? Have you finally gone round the bend Potter?!' Harry snickered at the tone in Draco's voice.

Quickly he sobered. 'Nope, but sometimes, I think it would be nice to just let it go.'

Draco didn't know how to respond to that so just kept quiet.

'By one's hand the other must die. For neither can live while the other survives.' Harry quoted the lines to Draco by memory. They were burned in his head. For a moment he panicked, wondering if he should have revealed what only two people knew.

'What was that?' Draco asked. Harry lay back down on his bed, staring towards the ceiling. Idly he thought they should probably go back to sleep, but realized Draco would kill him if he didn't explain.

'Prophecy.' Quickly he rattled off the whole prophecy to Draco. He had shocked Draco into silence. Harry told Draco about the prophecy, what had happened to him as an infant, the Dursleys, the Tri-Wizard Tournament, the Chamber, and the Ministry. Once he started, the words just poured out of him. He didn't think he could stop.

He glossed over a few details. A lot of details. Okay, so really all he gave Draco was the Cliff Notes version.

He left out Lucius Malfoy's part. He left out some of the details he didn't really want to remember. How Cedric looked, lying dead, the terror he felt, the feel of Crucio being cast, the fact that he used an Unforgivable, watching Sirius fall behind the curtain, being possessed by Voldemort. Those were details he preferred to forget about.

'That's that whole secret to The-Boy-Who-Lived. I can't die yet. Shit, I could probably jump off the Astronomy Tower and it'll hurt like hell, but I'd live. Either I kill him, or he kills me. Until then, I just wait for his annual attempt, and hope I'll be strong enough to survive this murder attempt." Harry finished the story bitterly. "In between, I hide at my aunt and uncles and hope that they don't succeed where Voldemort fails.'

He felt drained. He had never told anyone so much. Even Ron didn't know so much about growing up with the Dursleys. Or the Prophecy.

'Damn Harry. I had no idea.' Draco didn't seem to know what to do with all the information he had learned. 'Growing up, everyone talked about the wonderful, fantastic, saviour of the world, Harry Potter. Everyone Loved Harry Potter. But Draco Malfoy was the son of a Death Eater. They either hated me, or feared my father. No one cared that I was being beaten. That my parents hated me. All they wanted was an heir. Unfortunately, that meant having a child around. I used to sit in my room, and imagine all the adoration that you had, while I was the hated child of the wizarding world. Then I met you. And I wanted to be friends. In spite of hating you my whole life. And you rejected my friendship.' The last was said accusingly.

'You reminded me of Dudley.' Harry just stated it. He didn't try to explain anything. He knew Draco would understand. Both boys remained quiet. Neither seemed to know what to say from there. Finally Harry turned to his side and pulled the blanket up over him.

'Good night Draco.' He said and closed his eyes.

It was silent. He opened his eyes and felt a small amount of panic until he heard Draco. 'G'night Harry.' Finally he closed his eyes and slept. 

The next morning when Harry woke he realized that he had slept better than he ever remembered before. He heard the door open and hurried to go to the bathroom. He paused on his way back to the room when he saw his aunt's hand flutter slightly. He looked up to see the strange expression in her eyes. It passed quickly. Then he was back in his room, door locked.

'Why don't you just magic out?' Draco asked after Harry had eaten.

"Why don't you?" Harry replied.

'I'm not being starved!' Draco snapped. 'Besides, it's better than taking the Mark.'

Harry admitted that Draco had a point. Two actually. 'I'll get expelled and be stuck here permanently. Already had to go on trial last year for magic use.' Harry realized he had left out the whole Dementor attack when he told Draco his story. It wasn't part of the prophecy story. He filled Draco in on the story. Also telling him about Dobby and blowing up his aunt. Harry could tell that Draco was laughing when he finished the story about his aunt.

'Anyhow, if I do any more magic, they WILL kick me out. Besides, my aunt and uncle took my wand,' Harry finished.

'WHAT!?!' Harry winced at the fury in Draco's tone. 'Harry! Your life is in danger every bloody day and you let those bastards take your wand from you!'

Put like that, he really did sound like an idiot. 'Draco, I'm being watched!' He rushed to reassure his ...friend.

'What do you mean?' The question was more a snarl.

Harry remembered the incredible number of "cars backfiring" this summer. 'The Order. They have me watched. I can hear them Apparating and Disapparating.' He could feel Draco's relief. It was short lived. Quickly he felt anger building up again.

'And they are letting you starve!? What kind of protection is that?' Harry paced the room, knowing that was what Draco was doing.

'You think you aren't asking the same damn thing I have a dozen times!?' Harry let the anger go. He knew it was mostly Draco's anger, but it fed his own anger. 'Every damn wizard claims to 'love' me and yet I sit here. Locked up. Starving. Clueless about what is going on in the war! The War in which I am supposed to be the big "Hero" and yet I am kept ignorant. A bloody war I let happen! They waste guards on me. They waste time on me. Why!? The 'love' me but no one actually helps me. They let me muddle through every damn thing that comes along and only after it is over they tell me 'gee, we thought this might happen' but damned if they will tell me ahead of time so I can be prepared.'

Harry continued to rant, even when he felt Draco's shock and recoil from him. The rant continued from several minutes longer before Harry collapsed on the floor, too tired to continue. Tears filled his eyes, but he wouldn't allow himself to cry. He sat there shaking from all the repressed tears.

He didn't know how long he sat there shaking before he felt a pair of arms tentatively slipping around him. He lifted his head but didn't see anyone in the room. Somehow, it was coming from Draco.

'What are you doing?' There was no hostility in Harry's tone, just puzzlement.

'What do you mean?' Draco seemed confused.

'Your arms, I thought I felt them. I don't anymore but I swear it felt they were around me for a moment.' Draco seemed shocked.

'I was wishing I could comfort you. I wished I could do that.' He answered. He was slightly embarrassed.

'Oh.' Harry thought about that for a few moments. Finally he sent his own wish. He concentrated on hugging Draco. 'Thanks' he said simply.

He felt a pair of arms hugging him back.

'Okay, this is officially getting weird.' Harry shook off the arms. He heard Draco snickering. 'I am hugging Draco Bloody Malfoy from a distance and you are feeling it and hugging me back. Really strange.'

'I told you that it seemed to be getting stronger.' Draco said quietly.

'Great, if it gets much stronger, I may just go crazy trying to figure out what is coming next.' Harry made the comment only slightly serious.

'No kidding. What could be next? Maybe we have reached the limit. I wish I knew what this was.' Neither seemed to mind the constant intrusion of the other. They were both comfortable with each other. But not knowing what was causing it was disturbing both of them.

'We can look when we go back to Hogwarts. Maybe we can get into the restricted section.' Harry made the suggestion. 'Um, what do we tell people? Anything? I mean, it really seems strange. And the fewer people that know, maybe we can use this somehow.'

'Potter! I am shocked! How utterly Slytherian of you!' Draco's laughing comment was enough to cause Harry to make a face.

'I was almost Slytherin,' he confessed. 'Didn't want to be in the same house with you though!'

Suddenly he felt a slap on the back of his head. He gasped. 'Hey!'

He felt Draco start laughing. 'This could really be fun Potter!' Harry started thinking of all the ways this could be used to torture Draco during the coming school year. He suspected Draco was thinking the same thing.

'OH SHIT!' a thought suddenly occurred to Harry.

'What?' there was a hint of concern so Harry let humour out. 'Sex!' he said it all in one word.

'What about...OH SHIT!' both of them shuddered. 'I really DON'T want to know oh eww.' Harry tried not to think about it.

Draco seemed to be of the same mind. 'Okay, we won't think about that. Maybe we can find something out before it comes to that.'

Harry felt his stomach growl. He dug in his trunk for the daily ration of chocolate and jelly beans. Today he had also allowed himself a Liquorice whip. Just as he was about to eat it, he heard the cat flap open. He turned around and saw an orange and a...worm? lying on the floor.

'What in the hell?' He didn't even think about the fact that he was talking to Draco.

'What is it?' Draco replied.

'An orange and a worm. They gave me an orange and a...worm?' He was puzzled.

'For Hedwig maybe?' Draco made the suggestion. 'They are Muggles. Maybe they thought it would be good.'

'Why?' Harry wondered. 'They hate Hedwig. Why would they do anything for her?'

Draco was silent. Harry went over and saw the worm was still moving. He picked it up cautiously and went to Hedwig's cage, dropping it in. "It isn't a mouse, but it has to be better than the soggy cereal you have been getting" he said. She hopped to the edge of the cage and nipped his fingers affectionately.

'Well, she does seem to appreciate it.' Harry tore into the orange. The flavour was delicious! The smell filled his nose and the taste burst into his mouth and he ate quickly.

'Damn Harry! If an orange does that to you, I really don't want to know what will happen when you do finally have sex!' Draco's amused tones filled his head. Harry blushed.

'Sod off! You haven't been living on soggy cereal and Bertie Botts Beans for the past three weeks.' With that thought, Harry carefully saved the last couple segments of the orange and put them with the meagre ration of candy for the day back into the trunk. He wasn't sure what prompted the additional treat, but he knew it wouldn't be repeated.

'That's what they have been feeding you!' Draco was indignant.

'Well, they have been giving me a half a bowl of cereal. I have some chocolate frogs and Bertie Botts Beans and a couple liquorice whips. I divided them into a small amount for each day.' Harry was almost afraid to continue. He felt that anger in Draco. 'I give a small handful of cereal to Hedwig every day.'

'Damn Harry! I am going to kill them myself. Even my mother is making sure I eat enough. After all, can't have the mistreatment where anyone can see it. But you, you were skinny enough. You don't have the weight to lose. How can they…' Draco seemed unable to continue.

'It wasn't that bad,' Harry rushed to reassure him. 'It was only because …' suddenly he stopped. He remembered why they cut back on the food.

'What?' There was a hint of threat in Draco's tone. 'Tell me.'

Sighing Harry tried to phrase it best. 'They said since I wasn't going to eat the food they gave me, they weren't going to waste so much on me.'

'What do you mean weren't going to eat it.' Harry should have known Draco wouldn't let it be that simple.

'I stopped eating for a few days.' Draco was quiet. Harry could tell Draco was trying to put the pieces together. He felt the wave of guilt when he finally figured it out.

'Me. Because of me.' Draco's voice was filled with self-loathing.

'NO!' Harry was vehement. 'Not because of you. Because of that bitch mother of yours. You had no way of knowing it was affecting me.'

'I feel bad. I have been whining all summer about you being hungry and it is my fault. Correction, because of what happened to me. Better?' Draco made the correction when he sense Harry was about to argue the point again.

Harry decided to lighten the mood. 'Cheer up, four more days and I am going to be busted out of MY prison.'

'What?' came the startled exclamation. 'What do you mean?'

'Didn't I tell you?' Harry was truly surprised. 'I thought I told you. August first the Weasleys are coming to get me. I always spend the second half of the summer over there.'

He felt waves of jealousy coming from Draco. 'I can't believe you want to spend time with those Muggle lovers. Don't they know when to quit popping out kids?'

'Draco!' Harry scolded. 'Of course I want to spend time with them. They are certainly better than spending time with the Dursleys. And don't be nasty because you are jealous.'

'You are such a…' the right word didn't seem to come to Draco so he fell into a silent sulk.

Harry tried several times over the next few hours to talk to Draco but he was sulking and refused to respond. Finally Harry gave up and tried to go to sleep. He couldn't sleep. The emotional churning that Draco was feeling kept him awake. Finally Harry reached out with a hand to Draco's shoulder. 'I'm not going to forget you know. We will still be able to talk. And Draco, I've already told you far more than Ron or Hermione know. As strange as this might be, I think you have become my best friend.'

He felt Draco relax. 'That was what was worrying you wasn't it? I would leave you alone again.' Harry knew he was right deep inside.

'I'm afraid.' Draco finally said. 'I don't know what I would have done if you weren't here. If you are gone, I am afraid I'll take the Mark just to get it over with.'

'Don't do that. Please just promise me if you feel like giving in, talk to me first.' Harry pleaded with Draco.

'Of course I won't do that. Not now. But sometimes I wish I could just do it. But I don't want to do it. Mostly just because that is what they want. I don't want to do anything they want. Right now, I'm still a minor; they can make me do almost anything, but soon…' Harry felt the coldness in Draco. He voice got hard. 'Soon I'll be seventeen and they can't make me do anything.'

Harry asked the question that was burning at his mind. 'If they can make you do anything, then why haven't they made you take the Mark?'

Immediately he felt the sneer. 'Because, it is a contract that has to be entered into willingly. Even someone under Imperio can't take the mark. They have to consciously and with full willingness without the influence of spells or potions take the Mark.'

Harry thought of the trials that he had seen in Dumbledore's pensive. The people claiming they were cursed into taking the Mark. He knew that was not true. His mind spun with the implications.

'Exactly.' That was all Draco had to say.

Harry lay in the darkness. He tried to sleep but his mind was trying to absorb what he had learned tonight. Fear for Draco also held him awake. Slowly he felt an arm slip around him. He slipped an arm around Draco in return. The night was dark, but not as dark as the thoughts swirling in the two boys minds. Miles apart, they held each other in their thoughts, both trying to find some comfort for the other before finally Draco finally drifted off to sleep. Harry lay awake, mind racing for some time as he avoided sleep, and the dreams that always seemed to come in the dark.

The next day both boys were quiet. They didn't know what to say to each other. Harry's mind raced with thoughts, unconnected and random, yet somehow all intertwined. He was making the bed so he could relax when an image popped into his head. Perhaps just the stress of the days built up, but the only thing he could picture when he picked up the pillow wanting to throw it at Draco. He allowed the image to follow his thought.

'HEY! What was that for?' Harry dropped the pillow startled.

'You felt that?' he asked.

'Saw it actually,' said Draco, dryly.

'Huh?' Just then a picture popped into his head. Draco slapping him back with the pillow.

'Cool! This definitely could be fun!' Harry laughed at the excitement in Draco's voice. He sent back an image of pushing Draco onto the bed and dropping armfuls of pillows on him.

'Oh please Potter. You have no imagination at all,' Harry was vaguely insulted. Suddenly the image of two people popped into his head. He started to blush bright red when he realized what those two people were doing. Just then he realized who they were and ceased to be embarrassed and proceeded to being disgusted. 'I don't want to see the sex life of ICK Bulstrode and Goyle!'

'Why not? If I had to suffer the torture, I feel I must share in the misery,' Draco's amusement seemed completely in conflict with the haughty tones he was trying to adapt.

'That's disgusting. Almost as bad as this image,' Harry promptly sent back a visual of a naked Professor Snape wrapped up in the equally naked arms of Professor Trelawny.

'Oh EW! I yield to the greater imagination! That is just too horrible to oh oh oh, I am traumatized for life!' The melodramatic tones of Draco caused Harry to collapse on the bed in laughter.

'You are seriously disturbed Potter,' came the indignant comment.

That night Harry found another worm and a banana was pushed through the cat door. He was very confused as he ate the banana. He ate the candy later in the night while he and Draco discussed why they sudden change in heart from someone. Neither boy could come up with an answer.

'Harry,' Draco seemed hesitant to continue.

'Yeah, what?' Harry was feeling content as he lay back against the wall.

'I noticed you don't sleep much. I mean, except for the first few days when I think you were trying to ignore me,' Harry smiled at the dry tone. 'Why is that?'

'Why was I ignoring you?' Harry tried to buy some time by diverting Draco.

'No idiot. Sleep. Why not?' Draco wasn't about to be led from his question.

Harry thought about it for a moment. Finally he said, 'You've seen my dreams. Would you want to go to sleep?'

Draco was quiet for a moment. 'I guess not.' There was another pause. 'Lay down.'

Harry did as he was told, sliding down on the bed. Harry felt an arm slip around him, like last night. 'Now go to sleep idiot. You're not alone with the dreams anymore. I'll wake when you do.'

Warmth filled Harry when he realized that he wasn't alone anymore. The dreams were shared.

The next two days passed in a companionable back and forth. They tested all the new powers, trying to hone the abilities they suddenly seemed to find themselves with. They tried using more than one at a time and found it worked really well. Every night, as darkness fell, the dark thoughts began to overwhelm them and they found themselves holding each other lightly as they fell asleep, somehow finding comfort in the simple act of comforting the other.

The next morning Harry woke to the annoyingly chirpy voice. 'Wakey Wakey Potter!'

'Go away! Since when are you a morning person,' he muttered direly.

'Since it is your birthday!' came the cheerful response.

'Sod off. Doesn't make a difference. Still in this damn room. Sleep now. Wake later.' Harry rolled over and buried his head in the pillow. He felt a poke in his side. Problem. He was lying on that side. 'Damnit! Cut it out.' He continued to mutter about people who didn't respect other people's minds.

'What mind Potter? Wake up. I went to a lot of trouble for this,' Draco's tone was very dry.

'Trouble for what?' Harry found himself unable to resist asking.

A vivid image popped into his head. A room, he assumed it was at Malfoy Manor, filled with people. Most he recognized some he didn't. There were decorations covering every square inch and along one wall was a large table. At one end of the table sat a large, elaborately decorated cake. The rest of the table was filled with presents stacked so high they looked like they would topple over.

'Oh my! How...? What...?' Harry couldn't form the words. He knew it must have taken Draco a while to create that visual with all the details. The image of a magical paper with moving broomsticks caught his eye.

'Eloquent as ever I see.' Draco laughed. With the practice that they had been doing working their minds together, Harry looked around the room. He saw a mix of Gryffindors, Slytherians, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, teachers, Order, and several others.

'They are some of my friends,' explained Draco. 'Good people.'

Harry nodded. He took Draco's word for it. Slowly he moved towards the table.

'Well, go ahead Harry, open the presents.' Harry was a bit hesitant.

'I've never, I mean, what is the ...Is there a proper way to do this,' he blurted out. He felt Draco's sad smile.

'Well, since it is just in our minds, I say any way that makes you happy.' Harry smiled.

'In that case,' Harry dove at the table and grabbed the first present. He looked at the tag and saw it was from Hermione. He laughed when he opened it and saw a talking day planner. 'You know her quite well,' He told Draco. 'That was my Christmas present from her last year' Draco started laughing.

Harry tossed it aside and noticed that it fell neatly to one side, the paper disappearing. He grabbed the second present and noticed it was from Ron. Inside was a stack of chocolate frogs, and a book about Quidditch.

Harry laughed as he continued to open presents, a stack of homemade socks from Dobby, a sweater from Molly, some new Weasley gag-gifts, some broom care items, a book "12 Easy Steps to Losing Your Virginity" from...EW Professor Snape. Harry threw the book at Draco. He fell on the couch laughing.

'Sorry Potter,' He laughed. 'Couldn't resist that one! You just seemed so obsessed with his love life.'

Harry continued opening the presents. It seemed the pile would never end. Finally he opened the last one. It was from someone he didn't know. It was a box of fudge. 'Draco,' he said.

'There is nothing here from you,' Harry was confused. Given all the details he seemed to have attended to, Harry couldn't believe that Draco wouldn't include that.

'Of course I got you something. Don't be an idiot.' He saw Draco nod to someone. Harry looked up and saw the twins, Fred and George move to the door of what looked like a closet. They opened it and a puppy with a large ribbon came bouncing out. He was so excited he just ran around the room.

'A puppy!' Harry dropped to the floor and waited for the puppy to run up to him. The puppy ran up to him almost knocking him over, licking his face. Harry hugged the dog, petting him. Finally he buried his face in the dog's fur, and said 'How did you know.'

Draco seemed embarrassed as he said 'You mentioned it once. It was casual, but your feelings weren't. I took a guess.'

Harry opened his eyes and saw his own room in front of him. Disappointment filled him along with the longing that it could have been real. But he held onto the pleasure at the trouble that Draco went to planning that.

'Thank you,' he said simply. He knew Draco understood.

'I just wish I could really do that for you,' Draco seemed very sincere.

Harry heard the door opening. When he got back, the tray was there, and in addition to his cereal, there was a small envelope.

'Well, here goes with my actual present.'

'Yeah, they always give me something. Although, that's really a loose phrasing. This year it is a …' Harry gave a start of surprise. It was a simple, almost ugly white cotton handkerchief. But hand stitched into one corner was the letters HJP.

'What?' Draco was slightly annoyed.

'Well, usually it is something lame. A tissue, a toothpick, and one year for Christmas I got an old pair of my uncle's socks.' He described the gift to Draco.

'That is still the lamest gift ever Potter,' came Draco's response.

'No, I have to say the toothpick was the worst.' Harry sniggered.

'You know what I mean!'

'Yeah. But what about the stitching? I don't get it,' Harry was confused. The worm and fresh fruit every night. Now the handkerchief. He didn't know what to make of it.

'I still say mine is better!' Draco sounded almost jealous.

'Of course it is! The puppy would be fantastic. But just the time you spent on the ...everything. No one has ever done something like that for me,' he paused. 'I don't think so at least. Not that I can get into everyone's mind.'

The day passed quickly. Draco kept him entertained with various aspects of his birthday party. The Quidditch game, played on the lawn. Everyone singing to him, cutting the cake. Dinner with more food than even the Hogwart's banquets.

As Harry drifted to sleep that night, Draco's arm around him, the last thing he heard was a whispered 'Happy Birthday Harry.' 


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: Not mine. They belong to Rowlings and those who make money off the characters, like Warner Bros. Me, I just pull them out of the closet and dress them in leather.

Chapter Four

Very quickly it was time for Harry to leave for the Weasley's. He heard them show up at the door. He gave a sigh of relief, remembering the time they tried to Floo. His trunk was ready to go and he had Hedwig's cage in hand. He heard his uncle coming up the stairs. The key turned in the lock and Harry got ready to leave.

"Don't forget about me," was the quiet comment.

"Of course not idiot," he said with affection. Impulsively, Harry reached out and gave Draco a hug. It was the first time since they had discovered the ability, either of them had hugged each other. Unless you count at night. But neither of them ever talked about that. It was just comfort. He felt Draco pause, then hug him back.

The door opened and Harry saw his uncle glaring at him, holding open the door. Harry walked down the stairs. Ron and his father stood at the foot of the stairs. Ron ran up the stairs to get Harry's trunk. Harry stood at the doorway and gave his uncle a cold look.

"My wand. Now," his tone was borrowed straight from Draco Malfoy and left no room for argument.

His uncle handed it to him like it would bite him. Harry stared at him, the coldness radiating from him.

"You ever take my wand from me again, I will kill you myself," Harry felt Ron pause on the stairway but didn't look away from his uncle. Not until he felt a hand on his shoulder did he look away. Not sure if it was Draco, or a real hand, Harry looked at his shoulder. It was Mr. Weasley.

"It's okay son," Mr. Weasley didn't seem shocked by Harry's response. "We need to get home. Molly will be waiting for us. She will be getting nervous."

Harry nodded and smiled. He hurried to the car and paused. "Tonks!" He was pleased and surprised to see her there.

"Hey Harry!" Her hair was far less flamboyant today. He didn't know what to make of the simple brown tones. "Guard duty." She said by way of explanation. "Not that it is a chore. Best duty I've pulled all summer!"

"Oh," said Harry. He wondered if she was one of the ones that had been Apparating outside all summer. And why she would let him live like that. He tamped down the feelings of anger.

The pleasant look on Tonks' face faded. She saw the look on Mr Weasley's face as he approached the car. She knew something had gone horribly wrong. He wasn't the type to get furious like that. He was the most easygoing person in the Order. Harry's stuff was loaded and they were on their way there before she was to find out what was wrong. When Arthur described the scene he and Ron had found she found herself furious. Quickly she turned to look at Harry. He hadn't spoken since he got in the car. She noticed that even though he had always been a very skinny boy, he appeared to have lost even more weight.

"What did they feed you Harry?" she asked the question even though she was afraid of the answer. She knew she was right to dread the answer when she heard it. Tonks almost launched herself into the back of the car with a desire to mother him. This was strange since she never felt like a motherly type. Somehow, this boy always brought out the most protective instincts from everyone who met him. Almost everyone, she modified.

"Harry mate," said Ron. "I wondered. I mean, no one heard from you. And our Owls came back without delivering the mail. But we thought maybe it was..." Ron seemed afraid to say something. Suddenly Harry realized he was thinking of Sirius. And Harry hadn't thought of him in a while. It wasn't such a heartbreaking thing when he thought of the loss. It still hurt, but it didn't make him want to curl up and never come out.

"You can say his name Ron. I'm okay with it." He assured his friend. He saw the look of doubt on Ron's face.

"Hey, lots of time to think. Sirius, well, he went out how he would have wanted to you know? A blaze of glory, fighting and laughing and doing SOMETHING. Not hiding and inactive." Harry realized as he said these words just how true they were. Sirius was miserable with the inactivity. He had been almost happy when he was fighting at the ministry. The most alive Harry had seen him since he escaped from Azkaban.

He saw the small smile of agreement on Tonks' face. "Well, on the topic of Sirius," started Tonks. He saw Mr. Weasley shake his head slightly.

"I think we should go ahead and wait for Professor Dumbledore for that," he said gently.

"Oh, of course." She sat back and thought. She didn't know what to say. She felt somehow she should apologize, just then the last part of what Arthur had said registered with her. "They took your wand away!" She practically roared the words. "When we set watch over you it was with the belief that you would at least be able to protect yourself to some extent. After what happened last year they dared..." she started sputtering in her fury.

Harry flinched slightly. He had thought of how to explain this and said "Well, I had a few problems with a lot of visions in the beginning of summer. My uncle came in because of the ...well, I was screaming. He grabbed my wand and left. I couldn't do anything because of the pain." He knew it was a mix of truth and partial truths, but the best he could give.

"Harry, we are going to get you home, and Molly will fuss over you," this came from Mr. Weasley. "I don't care what Dumbledore's reasons are, but next summer we are not going to let you go back there." This was said very firmly. Just then, Harry's stomach growled embarrassingly loud. The Dursleys had not fed him that day. "And Molly will have plenty of food for you."

Harry smiled. "Draco," he thought. He was careful not to let his mouth move or speak. He knew over the summer he hadn't really cared about that. It took effort.

'Harry? Didn't expect you so soon,' Draco was pleased.

'I know. Tonks, Mr. Weasley and Ron are going on about what they want to do to the Dursleys. Don't seem to need me, except to answer a couple questions. But for now they are pretty busy with inventive threats. And promises of food from Mrs. Weasley. She loves to feed people,' Harry explained briefly. 'They didn't feed me this morning. Probably figured why bother, I was leaving after all.'

'Bastards,' was Draco's only comment. Harry noticed that everyone was looking at him waiting for an answer to something.

"What?" he asked, blushing slightly. He knew they probably thought he had gone half crazy over the summer.

"Just wondering how you fed Hedwig," repeated Ron. So Harry told them. The shock on their faces when they realized that he hadn't even gotten all his food helped melt the anger he felt towards them.

"Can we stop shortly before we get there so I can let her out?" he asked. "She can hunt and meet us back there."

"Of course, son, " said Mr. Weasley agreeably. Harry noticed that he kept referring to Harry as son. Somehow it felt good.

Finally they got back to The Burrow. Molly was horrified by Harry's weight loss and started feeding him immediately. While he was eating she kept fussing over him, fixing his hair, filling his tea, Harry kept waiting for her to take his fork and feed him directly.

"About bloody time," came an unexpected comment. Harry gave a brief start and hoped no one noticed. They hadn't.

"What?" Harry asked. He was thankful that it didn't matter his mouth was full.

"You're getting food. Finally you're not starving. It was a bit disconcerting." Harry smiled at the slight whine. It didn't take long before Harry was sitting back, completely full. He looked around for where everyone was. Apparently Tonks and Mr. Weasley had dragged Mrs. Weasley into the living room to get her to quit fussing. Only Ron and Hermione were sitting at the table.

Draco lay on his bed. His hands were pillowing his head and he tried to smother the fear and jealousy gnawing at him. Harry had left him. He hoped he hadn't forgotten about him. Then he smothered the annoyance. This was Harry Potter. He shouldn't be missing him. He should be loathing him.

Why didn't he hate Potter anymore? That question had been bothering him for a few days. Something to do with this bloody link. He just wished he knew what it was.

It was a great relief when he felt Harry's stomach filling up. The ache was driving him crazy. At first he had tried to fill himself up, before realizing it wasn't he that was hungry. He shuddered to think what the lean form would look like after that kind of starving. At least Draco's own wounds heal quickly and the punishment didn't last long.

Realizing where his thoughts were heading, he spoke to Harry to distract himself, 'About bloody time!' He stopped when he remembered that he wasn't speaking to Harry.

'What?' was Harry's comment. Draco paused, but was so glad to hear Harry that he went ahead and replied.

'You're getting food. Finally you're not starving. It was a bit disconcerting,' he felt Harry's humour.

It was a few moments later that he felt surprise from Harry. He wanted to ask what was going on but was determined not to speak to him again.

'They are throwing me a small party!' the pleasure was radiating from Harry. Jealousy was tearing up Draco again.

'I threw one for you too,' he said. He knew he was being a shit, but didn't care. He thought of the time he spent on the drawings he did. The careful details he planned. The moment he realized the perfect gift for Harry was a puppy.

They had been talking one day about mostly nothing. Harry had mentioned an aunt who had a bunch of dogs. Most of them were really nasty beasts, but Harry recalled when she had gotten a new puppy and had brought it along. The dog so cute he decided that he might like to get one someday. The comment was made very casually, almost off-hand, but Draco recognized the deep longing feeling that Harry was radiating. For some strange reason, Draco wanted to give him that gift.

Damn, these thoughts and feelings were annoying. He wasn't supposed to like Potter. Years of hatred still bubbled below the surface. Draco found it hard to hold on to the hatred when he felt the emotions of his enemy. The pain that Harry carried around everywhere he went. Even when they were laughing and joking, the pain and fear was still there.

His mind drifted to the dreams that Harry had. He shuddered with the memory. It did however, stiffen his resolve to never join the Dark Lord. The memory of the night he saw an attack on a sleeping wizarding family was burned into his head. The Death Eaters tortured the family, including the two children before the Dark Lord finally killed them. They wouldn't give him something.

Draco didn't know how Harry lived with it. The abuse came from everywhere. He wasn't even safe in his own mind. Draco remembered with shame the contribution that he had made to the layers of torture that Harry lived with.

He thought about his own life. His parents were, like most Death Eaters, sadistic monsters. They beat him frequently, but like he had told Harry, never leaving anything permanent.

They also spoiled him like was expected of the only child and heir of the Malfoy family. Anything Draco asked for he got. But usually at a price. Draco learned young to get what he really wanted while pretending it was something less important in order to reduce the…price he paid. He was a master at deception. Particularly when it came to something important.

Like Harry Potter. He hadn't been lying when he told Harry that he wanted to be friends with him when they first met. When the friendship offer was spurned he put all the effort that he would have put into the friendship into making Harry's life miserable.

Now he realized that Harry's life was already miserable. Draco was little more than an annoyance really. Maybe a focal point for all Harry's hatred. Now, he wasn't that. But what was he? Friend?

Draco knew what it was to have friends. Crabbe and Goyle were friends. They would follow Draco where ever he went. They didn't have much in the way of thought, but when they were young, Draco had taken a beating that was meant for them. It earned him their undying loyalty. No matter what Draco told them, he knew they would do. But that wasn't an equal friendship. That was them following him. Something told Draco that Harry would never follow him. Push him perhaps, but never follow.

The night dragged on endlessly. He wanted to ask Harry what presents he received, he felt the happiness coming from Harry. He wanted more than anything to be part of the events. But he refused. Stubbornness, envy, loneliness, they all warred in Draco. He felt Harry's hurt at Draco's attitude but was unable to reach out to him. Draco felt him relaxing. He knew Harry was going to bed. But he also knew Harry wasn't going to sleep. He wasn't relaxing that much. And he didn't know how Harry went with as little sleep as he seemed to function on.

It wasn't much, but Draco did it. He reached out with his mind and touched Harry on the shoulder. He didn't know why he always did it. He just knew that was the only way that he could sleep, when he was touching Harry in some way. He felt the hurt fading from Harry and knew he understood. Slowly he felt the answering arm wrap around him. With this contact, Draco finally fell asleep, knowing that even as he did, Harry was still awake.

Sunday was a bright day. Harry woke from a peaceful sleep. The past few days had flown past; it was just Ron, Harry, Hermione and Ginny. Fred and George had gotten their own place with the success of their store.

Every day he made a point of spending a few minutes periodically through the day with Draco. He made an excuse to everyone why he wanted to be alone. No one seemed to think twice about it, so he must be doing something right.

Tonight the whole family was supposed to be getting together for dinner. Professor Dumbledore, Remus, Tonks, Moody and several others of the Order were supposed to also be coming over. There were only two dim spots on the summer was the clock of Mrs. Weasley's, who's hands constantly pointed to 'mortal peril' and the fact that Percy was still being a prat and not speaking to the family, in spite of the fact that he was obviously wrong about Voldemort and Harry.

Dinner was a lively affair and afterwards Dumbledore had stood with calmness and made an announcement that shock Harry to the core. He informed everyone that Harry was Sirius' sole heir. The Black family home, fortune and even the house elf, Kreacher all belonged to Harry now. Harry sat there in shock. The Order buzzed with the news that the headquarters wasn't going to revert to the Lestranges as Sirius' closest relatives. At Dumbledore's suggestion, Harry sent Kreacher to Hogwarts to work under Dobby's watchful eye. He barely registered what was happening.

Harry stood up and went outside. He heard people asking him questions, but didn't respond. He just walked outside. He needed to get away. His mind didn't want to process everything he had learned.

'Harry?' it was the one voice he couldn't get away from. So he tried to ignore it. 'Harry, what is wrong?' The insistence of the voice combined with the concern and fear that made Harry respond.

'I'm …I…' he didn't know how to form the words.

'Harry, are you okay?' there was a hint of panic starting.

'Yeah. I just found out…Sirius,' he stumbled over the name. 'He left me everything. I'm, his …' he couldn't finish the sentence.

'Oh wow. Harry, that's big,' Draco's voice was a mix of sorrow and awe.

'Why me?' Harry was filled with pain. 'Why not Remus? They were best friends. We….we only knew each other a couple years. He knew Remus for years. Since they were kids.'

'You loved him right?' Draco asked the question, but he already knew that answer. He didn't wait for an answer before continuing 'It stands to reason that he loved you too.'

Draco didn't know how to continue. Harry felt the jealousy and pain Draco was feeling.

'Yeah, and look what happens to people that love me. They all wind up dead,' Harry couldn't help the comment that flowed. It was one that had been burrowing deep inside him. 'They call me a 'saviour' but am I really? The only reason Voldemort was defeated before was because of my mother, not me. I bring death. My parents, Sirius, Cedric. And somehow, I wind up richer, and with more…but I don't want it. Cedric dies, I get the TriWizard winnings. My parents die and leave me a vault full of money. And I think there may be some property, I don't really know about that. Sirius dies, I get his family money and home and even the damn house elf.'

'Is that the sneaky little bastard that kept coming over here last year?' Draco asked.

'Yes. I wanted to kill him but Hermione had a dozen different fits.' Draco couldn't help but laugh.

'Harry, you can't blame yourself for the way people died. They all made their own choices. Sirius shouldn't have gone to the Ministry. He was a convict for crying out loud, walking into the Ministry was foolish. Your parents knew what they were doing. Except in trusting Wormtail. Blame Wormtail, or Voldemort for their deaths.'

Harry hated it when Draco made so much sense. He wanted to argue with Draco. He knew this was all stuff others had said before, but he always thought they were just saying what they thought they should. Because of his connection with Draco, he knew Draco truly meant the words he was saying.

Harry sighed. 'Guess I'd better get back in there. Hermione will be chasing me down soon'  
Just then the door opened. Harry turned expecting to see Hermione and was surprised to see Mrs. Weasley walking towards him.

"Harry, son," her tone was concerned. "Are you okay?" She hurried towards him to pull him into her embrace.

"I know you loved Sirius," she said. "He loved you. This has got to be difficult to deal with." She pulled back from the embrace and brushed his hair back from his face.

Harry smiled at her. "I was just about to come back in. Thank you Mrs. Weasley."

"Please, call me Molly." this was a repeated phrase and somehow Harry knew this time he would be able to do it. He nodded.

"Thank you Molly." The words were a whisper. She wrapped an arm around his shoulders and led him back to the house. When they walked in, conversation dimmed for a moment. Harry smiled at everyone to let them know he was okay.

"I just needed a moment to absorb this," Harry said for explanation.

They talked for a few minutes longer before Molly announced it was enough business, this was family night. Fred and George suggested a game of night Quidditch which Ron and Ginny and Harry were quick to agree to.

They had only been playing for a few minutes when Harry, who was flying pretty high above everyone, felt a sudden terror hitting Draco. Harry started to head down towards the ground, his mind screaming out for Draco wanting to know what was wrong. He felt the first pain. It felt like a large stick hitting him. Almost immediately he felt the unmistakable feel of Crucio being cast. Only it wasn't on himself. It was on Draco.

Harry almost bit through his lip trying not to scream out. The pain was over fairly quickly, and there was a moment pause before he felt it again. He did the only thing he could think of. He threw himself off his broom. The fall was only ten to fifteen feet, but it was enough. He hit the ground with a hard thud, his head making contact. He heard screaming just before he passed out.

When he woke up he was looking into the concerned face of Molly. She was hovering above him looking worried. "Harry, thank God you are awake." her face relaxed when she realized that he was okay.

"Yeah, sorry to worry you Molly," he really did feel bad. He didn't think about everyone else when he threw himself off the broom. Just something to help Draco. He couldn't let Draco be tortured like that.

'Draco?' he realized Draco had been very quiet.

'Why?' the question was brief, and very confused.

'Because. They were hurting you. It seemed the best thing. Did it do it? Did it make you pass out?' Harry hoped that it had worked.

'Yeah. Gave me one hell of a headache. But I think I am free from broken bones.' The answer was dry, and still uncertain.

"Harry?" This was from Molly. Harry returned his gaze to hers. Relief went across her face. He realized he must have looked strange, and given the injury, he knew what she was thinking.

"I just have a headache," he said. She nodded compassionately.

"I will get you something for that," she hustled off to find a potion to help with his headache. As soon as she left Harry began to take assessment of his own injuries and where there were other aches from Draco. He knew what sort of effects Crucio had. Fortunately, most of the pain was surface. He knew it would fade fast.

'Just pretend for a few days that you are in more pain than you really are. Take longer to recover,' he advised Draco.

'No kidding! I would never have thought of that,' Draco's sarcasm was very heavy. 'After all, I'm not a Slytherin, oh wait, I am!' Harry smiled. He knew the pain was causing Draco's crankiness.

Molly came back into the room carrying a potion. It looked like a headache potion. She stood over him as he drank and made sure he took all of it. Several minutes passed and she hovered over him, tucking in blankets and smoothing his hair back being careful of his injury.

"Molly, I think I want to sleep now. Can I be alone?" He was starting to feel strange and didn't know what was happening. He didn't want to worry her any more.

"Of course son," she said. With one last caress she left the room.

'Harry,' there was a hint of fear in Draco's voice. 'There is something strange going on.'

'I know Draco.' He replied. 'I think it is the potion Molly gave me for my headache.' Harry was having trouble thinking straight. His head was spinning around and around. He tried to think but was unable to hold a thought. He felt slightly panicked and knew Draco was feeling the same.

Finally, desperate, Harry closed his eyes and hoped for sleep. It wasn't going to come easily. A few moments later he felt a strong sense of nausea. He rolled out of the bed and tried to stand. His legs weren't taking commands from a mind that wasn't able to focus. Praying no one would be outside in the hall, he crawled to the bathroom he knew was across from the room.

His stomach expelled the remnants of the potion and he slowly stood up. He turned on the tap and began drinking water in large gulps. Breathing heavily, he slowly turned and tried to take a step back to his room. No one was in the hall, but Harry realized he wouldn't be able to walk it. As quickly as possible, he crawled his way back to his room and into his bed.

'Is that woman trying to poison you!?' there was more than a hint of fear and panic in Draco's voice.

'No Draco,' Harry was having a hard time putting together words. 'Just a headache potion.'

'Yeah, and Mr. Remedial Potions can tell that,' Harry knew he should say something, but couldn't think of what. He gave up and just closed his eyes. Finally, after several minutes, he was able to fall asleep.

Harry woke with a bit of fear. He opened his eyes slowly, looking around the room. Everything seemed to be standing still. He realized that he was able to string thoughts together.

'Draco? You awake?' He couldn't really tell.

'Yeah.' Draco was as uncertain as Harry. 'What the hell was all that about?'

'I don't really know. She gave me a headache potion for the head injury. Then, that,' Harry couldn't describe it.

'Are you sure? She could be under a curse, or something else,' Draco was trying to put a logical explanation to what had happened, but Harry couldn't help but get upset.

'She would never try to poison me! And before you go there again, I was NOT in Remedial Potions!' Harry was quite indignant.

'That is what Snape told me,' Draco was confused.

'I know. That's what we told everyone. Only Dumbledore and Ron and Hermione know the truth. I was taking Occlumency lessons, 'Harry felt strange telling someone else about it.

'Occlumency? Why would you need that?' Harry could tell that Draco knew, he just wanted to hear the words.

'Because. I have to fight Voldemort. In the end yes, but every night. I have to keep him out of my mind. I told you he sent me a false vision, but also just every time I have the dreams.' He shuddered thinking of some of the dreams.

'But you still have them.' Draco stated what was pretty obvious. 'If you were learning to block, then why?'

Harry sighed. 'In case you somehow missed it, Snape and I don't exactly get along. The lessons were a disaster. They were making things worse rather than better.'

'Worse? How could they be any worse?' Draco was amazed.

'I was getting the dreams almost every single night. Sometimes more than one a night. Every time I got another dream, the lessons got worse. Snape was even nastier, I hated him even more. It got really bad.' Harry didn't want to think about the scene that ended the lessons, but Draco pressed for the details.

'I…I can't really tell you Draco. It isn't my…I …' Harry paused. He tried to find the words. 'I learned something about Snape, and my father and he got upset. I really can't tell you what it was about, they are his memories. But he kicked me out.'

Harry tried to find the anger he always had when he thought about Snape. It was still there, but seemed to be mixed with…affection? That was never something he had towards Snape. He thought about it, and then realized that it was Draco who was feeling affection for Snape.

'I … I know I need the lessons again. They failed miserably. I just can't. He treated me, Sirius, everyone like…less than human. I can't go back to him!' Harry was furious.

'And how is he supposed to act you prat! Like you are the wonderful fantastic Boy-Who-Lived? And still be a Death Eater spy without giving things away. Oh, and not to mention that Umbridge would have loved to fire anyone that was even vaguely willing to give support to your claims. Where would you have been if he was gone?' Draco was being rather nasty with his comments, but Harry thought about what he was saying.

Slowly Harry stood up. The room wasn't moving. It remained perfectly still. That was a good thing. 'Draco, do you think maybe it has something to do with the mind thing? The headache potion affects the mind, but we are linked, so maybe it reacted badly with that?'

'The prat has a brain,' was the sarcastic response. Suddenly Harry felt Draco relax. 'I think you might be right. If it was only a headache potion, then that would be the only explanation. Other than…but you don't want to believe that. And I think I trust you with that.'

Harry sighed. Slowly he made his way around. He got dressed really carefully. His whole body ached from the fall and from the effects of Draco's being cursed. Figuring out which were his and which were Draco's was a bit trickier.

When he went downstairs he saw Hermione, Ron, Remus, and the twins. They looked up at him in shock.

"Harry!" Hermione rushed to him. "We didn't think you would be up for a while yet. Are you okay?"

She started fussing over him, almost as bad as Molly. Speaking of Molly, Harry looked around, wondering where she was.

"Where's Molly?" he asked.

"Um, she went shopping for the school stuff," Hermione answered. "The owls arrived today and she wanted to get the stuff early. We stayed behind because of security reasons."

"The owls arrived today? Do they have our O.W.L.s results?" Harry was eager for the results.

Hermione gave him a bright smile. "Yup! You got an O in potions!" She knew that was the score Harry was really worried about. "N.E.W.T.s potions starting this year. We will have to get a head start on our homework."

Harry groaned. Trust Hermione to bring up homework to a guy who just fell off his broom.

'Hah! O in potions! Told you I didn't need Remedial Potions. Git.' He threw in the last bit just because it was still Malfoy he was talking to.

'Bite me,' not original, but still amusing. Harry sent an appropriate image to Malfoy who laughed briefly, then groaned. A groan Harry almost verbalized himself as a sharp pain cut across his chest.

'A bruised rib?' Harry asked. He looked around the room and realized people were giving him funny looks. He moved to a chair and sat down.

'Yeah, courtesy of the bitch that spawned me,' Harry noticed Draco almost never referred to her as his mother, or Lucius as his father. Except when he was using them to be an arrogant idiot.

"Sorry guys," he said to his room full of people. "Still a bit sore."

Everyone nodded in understanding. Ron chimed in with a "We didn't expect you would wake so soon. Those headache potions usually cause me to sleep for the better part of a day."

"How long was I asleep?" Harry was curious.

"Only a couple hours," Fred answered.

"And when did I fall from the broom?" Harry was starting to get a headache. He stopped thinking about what everything meant.

"Last night," replied George. "Gave us a right scare mate! Thought Dementors were back or something."

Harry smiled. "Sorry guys. I don't know what happened. Started feeling dizzy and next thing I knew I was in bed with Molly stuffing potions down me."

Everyone started laughing, having all been on the receiving end of Molly's ministrations before. Except Hermione who was looking at Harry with concern. She looked ready to pick up the mothering again.

Harry decided to head her off by asking, "My head is aching. Would someone mind getting me a glass of water and some food?"

"Sure," said Ginny. She got up and started filling a plate with a variety of food. "Do you want some coffee?"

Harry thought about it but wasn't sure if he wanted caffeine. It might make his head start hurting again. "No, I think I'll pass. Thanks though Ginny."

She nodded and handed him the plate. Harry looked at the food with some trepidation. He recalled losing his stomach just a couple hours earlier. Finally he picked up a piece of toast and nibbled on it, figuring it would be the safest choice.

His stomach felt quite fine and he dug into the rest of the meal with gusto. Everyone chattered about the upcoming classes. Fred and George sat with smirks on their faces, clearly enjoying the fact that they didn't have to worry about it this year.

Harry took a moment to look them over. He noticed that they were dressed much nicer than previous times. "Business doing well?" he asked them.

"Oh yeah! You are going to have to stop… by the shop some time… Always full... Had to hire some… help so we could have time off." This was said by the two of them, alternating back and forth. Harry learned a long time ago not to try and follow which was speaking and just listen to the whole thing. It was less confusing that way.

"Mum's having a fit over it though," was Ron's contribution. "She still wishes they would finish school."

"Plus she keeps trying to get us to tell her how we could afford a shop and everything," said Fred. George was grinning at Harry. Hermione gave Harry a funny look.

"Harry! You didn't have any…" Harry's eyes grew wide and he shook his head at Hermione. She broke off the sentence and glared at Harry. "Molly is going to kill you if she finds out."

"It was the Tournament money. I didn't want it. And they could put it to good use," Harry gave her a look. She started to argue some more, but decided against it. Ginny and Ron were just looking at Harry with amazement.

"Mum really is going to kill you if she finds out," said Ron. He looked like this was an old topic that he had heard many times.

"I know. That's why she won't find out right?" Harry gave him a conspiratory grin. Ron rolled his eyes and nodded. He saw Ginny nodding emphatically.

"So, what's up for today?" Harry asked.

"Well, we have to get back to the shop," said George. He and Fred were standing up getting ready to leave.

"And you need to take it easy today," this came from Remus. Harry gave a start; he had forgotten that Remus was in the room. The look his former Professor was giving him was too knowing and worried. Harry lowered his eyes and nodded. Somehow Harry suspected if he truly knew what was going on, he would be even more worried.

"How about some wizard's chess?" asked Ron. Harry had been trying since he met Ron to beat him. Occasionally he would win a game, but not very often. Harry agreed readily and Hermione just rolled her eyes. She made no secret of how she felt about the barbaric way the wizards played it.

While Ron got the game out, Harry looked at his O.W.L. scores. He was pretty pleased. His new schedule was included and he was able to take all the N.E.W.T. courses required for a career as an Auror.

Of course, he failed History of Magic, Binns' class, miserably, and Divination. No big loss there. Might be nice to have an entire week go by without Trelawney predicting Harry's death. Honestly, didn't the woman get tired of it?

Harry smiled slightly to himself as he realized that Draco had fallen back to sleep. Fortunately, he didn't seem to be injured too badly. He would have to remember to tell Draco to warn him if he moved so Harry wouldn't react in front of anyone.

"What's so funny?" asked Ron. He had finished setting up the board.

"Just thinking Trelawney is going to be so disappointed that she won't get to announce my death during every class now," Ron snickered his agreement.

The day passed quickly. Harry made a few excuses for moving around, wincing with pain as Draco moved. After Molly returned, he made a point of taking time to look through his books. He wasn't really reading anything, just trying to make it less obvious that he was talking to Draco.

'Did you get your O.W.L. scores?' he asked.

'Yeah. Did pretty much as expected. O in Potions and Arithmancy and Transfiguration, E in Charms and Defence Against Dark Arts, A in History of Magic and Care of Magical Creatures.'

Harry gave his scores to Malfoy and asked what class study he was wanting to take.

'I don't know. I keep thinking about it, but nothing seems to make sense. Why take a course of study if I am just going to wind up a Death Eater anyhow?' there was a hint of despair in Draco that caused Harry to worry.

'Don't say that! You are not going to be a Death Eater. We'll find a way to keep you safe,' He knew that Draco was afraid that things would get worse until he was either dead or a Death Eater. Harry was determined neither would happen.

'Now, forget about that, what do you want to be when you grow up?' as hoped, the comment caused Draco's humour to be restored.

'Well, Potter, when you put it like that, I always thought it would be neat to be a Healer.' This surprised Harry.

'You're kidding!' Harry almost laughed out loud. 'I would have thought Minister of Magic.'

'See! That is why I haven't told anyone. I knew they would laugh.' Harry immediately felt bad.

'I'm not laughing at you,' he was quick to try and reassure Draco. 'I'm just laughing because it is so far from what I would have guessed. It was a bit of a shock.'

'I guess. I just want to be able to help people like I wish…' he didn't finish the sentence.

'I'm going to help you Draco. You know I will. Shit, Hermione has accused me of having a hero complex more than once. You know me, good old Gryffindor spirit and all.' he was feeling a bit less hostile than usual when he made the comment. 

There was a slight pause, then came Draco's comment 'On the other hand, I have also thought that I would love to be a singer. Everyone in the audience screaming my name and lusting after my gorgeous body.' Harry snickered.

He felt Draco grow serious again. When he spoke it was in almost reverent tones, 'I just think it would be really great you know? Have people just look at you and recognize you. Have them love you because of who you are. Not to look at you and see you as a Death Eater's kid. '

'It really isn't all it is cracked up to be,' said Harry dryly. 'Trust me.'

'How can you say that? Everyone loves you,' Draco was shocked.

'Not really. They love The-Boy-Who-Lived. They don't know me. Not one of them bothered to help me for 11 years. I'm not a person to them. I'm just someone that lived. And I shouldn't have lived.' Harry didn't know if he was doing a good job of explaining. He just knew that he had to get his point across. Somehow. 'I didn't do anything, it was my mother. Every time someone looks at my scar or at me, I am just reminded that she died. She should get the credit but I was the one that lived.'

'I guess I never saw it that way. They look at you and see, well, you. Not your parents,' Harry could hear the envy in the other boy.

'Well, not everyone. Snape, he just sees my father. And Si…Sirius, and Remus they tell me that I look just like my father, but have my mother's eyes,' Harry tried to figure out how he felt about that. How he would feel if everyone looked at him, or treated him the way Snape did. With hatred because of who his father was. Like Draco.

"Harry," Hermione was talking to him. "How are you doing? Do you need another headache potion?" Harry shuddered remembering the first one.

"No thanks," he answered. "Just a slight headache. Nothing serious. Mostly sore muscles."

He spent the evening playing Exploding Snap with Ron and went to bed early. He held Draco lightly as the other boy fell asleep, but as usual, Harry lay awake for some time. He couldn't bring himself to let go of the other boy, even though he knew he had fallen asleep. Harry lay there thinking of what had happened. Not just today, but all summer. 

Within just a couple days both boys were completely recovered from their injuries. They agreed to exaggerate the wounds for a few days longer just because the recovery time would be expected. They figured it must also be connected to all the other strange things. No way could all those injuries heal that quickly otherwise.

The remainder of the summer passed quickly. Almost too quickly. Soon it was the night before they would head back to Hogwarts. Harry and Draco spent time discussing how they should act when they saw each other. It wouldn't do to be friendly. But could they be as mean to each other?

Both boys were up rather late given they had to be awake early the next day. Well, late for Draco. For Harry it wasn't all that late. Really rather earlier than the normal time. They talked about many things. Mostly plans for the year. Harry assured Draco that they could get almost any book they wished from the library. Even out of the restricted section. What Harry couldn't get then they would just convince Snape to allow his Golden Boy of Slytherin to take out.

There were a lot of things he still hadn't told Draco about. It wasn't really that he didn't trust him. Although that was a small part. But not really. It was just, he didn't want to talk about the war. He wanted to talk about stuff. Inconsequential things. They didn't agree on a lot of things. But they had learned to respect each other.

One night they argued over Quidditch strategies, that one ended in a rather nasty scene with Harry calling Draco a dirty cheating bastard. 

Another night they had argued about Muggles. He wasn't even sure how they started on the argument. Suddenly however, they found themselves disagreeing on whether Muggle-borns should be allowed into Hogwarts. Harry told Draco he was just pissed because Hermione did better than any pure-blood. Draco told him that it was book smarts, didn't mean anything. All she ever did was quote book passages. Harry couldn't really argue with that logic. So he settled for snarling 'My mother was a Muggle-born.' Then proceeded to ignore Draco.

He wouldn't talk about the TriWizard Tournament. He felt he had said too much on that already. Same went for the Chamber, Philosopher's Stone, Sirius, the Dursley's. Draco never asked either. Which was more than Ron or Hermione did for him. That was why Harry liked talking to Draco. He didn't press him for closure, or to talk about things.

Which is why it was such a surprise when that night Draco asked him, 'Do you remember them? Your parents I mean.'

Harry gave a start of surprise. He felt a myriad of emotions at hearing Draco talk about them, even though it didn't contain the normal sneer, he still felt anger that Draco would talk about them. He knew however, Draco was feeling something wistful, perhaps longing. He wasn't asking to be mean, hurtful, or even out of idle curiosity so perhaps that was why he answered the question.

'Not entirely. I mean, I sort of do. But only because of the Dementors,' Harry paused. He had never told anyone everything he saw when the Dementors got close. He mostly gave vague descriptions of it. This time he wanted Draco to know. 'I see, the final moments. My dad, I heard Voldemort arguing with my mum, I hear her screaming, and then I just see a blinding green light. Then another one.'

'Arguing? He didn't just…you know?" Draco was afraid to say the words. Afraid of how Harry might react.

'No. He was offering her a choice,' Harry didn't know if he could talk about it much longer. The images started to run through his head. He choose instead to view the scene, projecting it towards Draco, sharing the only memory he had of his parents.

Draco was in shock. He couldn't have ever imagined the scene. The pain Harry felt while reliving the memory. Suddenly his reaction to the Dementors didn't seem so funny. Every time they got near, Harry had to relive these moments. He was also jealous. Because he knew his own mother would never have made that choice. Draco would have been handed over as an offering if the Dark Lord asked.

Slowly he reached out for Harry's hand. He squeezed it tight and said simply, 'I'm sorry.' It was meant to cover everything. He knew somehow that Harry understood that. No other words were necessary.

'As long as you don't try to dress up like Dementors again,' Harry commented. Draco laughed, startled.

'Don't worry; I think I learned my lesson on that one. What in the hell was that thing that charged me anyhow?' he asked.

'Short answer? My father,' Harry smiled.

'Huh? Okay, how about the long answer?' Draco was puzzled.

'Um, okay. Patronus Charm. It creates a sort of protector out of magical energy, which lets the Dementors focus on it, protecting the caster. It takes the form of whatever the caster feels will, well, protect them. My father was an Animagus, his form was a stag. So my Patronus took his Animagus form. Better?' Harry gave the explanation as best as he understood it.

'Oh,' Draco's answer was brief as he mulled over the explanation, finally settling on one part. 'You father was an Animagus?'

'Yeah. I guess he was really good with Transfiguration. He learned at the same time as Sirius and Peter Pettigrew. Sirius was a black dog and Pettigrew was a rat. Should have told them something,' the last was tinged with the hatred he felt towards Pettigrew.

'The dog. The one you were with at the train last year. That was your godfather?' Draco was starting to put some of the pieces together.

'Yeah.' Harry remembered the scene. Lucius seeing the dog and figuring it out. Sirius chasing the train, running around, encouraging Harry to play fetch during the walk. 'He needed to get out of the house.'

'The house? The one he gave you right?' Harry just nodded towards Draco. He felt Draco yawn.

'Go to sleep you prat,' he scolded gently. 'Don't you have to get up early?'

'So do you,' was the surly response.

'Yeah, but I never sleep much, remember?' he reminded Draco.

Harry followed the usual night time pattern and slid an arm around Draco. He felt the answering embrace and smiled. 'Good night.'

He waited until he felt Draco drift off to sleep. He still kept his arm around him; Draco always seemed to sleep more comfortably that way. Many nights Harry lay like that. He thought about going back to school the next day. Somehow in his mind he found himself stroking Draco's hair. He wondered how it would actually feel. Was it as soft as it looked? With that thought in his mind, he slowly started to drift off to sleep.

The morning came all too quickly for Harry. The night was a very dreamless night and he wished it could have continued. That was the problem with never wanting to go to sleep. When he did, he never wanted to wake up.

Molly was over him shaking him gently. "Harry, wake up. We have to get ready. The Ministry vehicle will be here to get us soon."

Something about that statement sounded wrong, but in his sleep befuddled state he didn't know what it was. He was sitting up and starting to move when it sunk in. "The Ministry vehicle?" he asked, but Molly was already out the door. Probably to wake the others. Everyone knew he wasn't at his best in the mornings. Even Draco had figured that one out pretty quickly and birthday notwithstanding left him alone in the mornings until he had at least an hour to wake up.

The Burrow was at least more tolerable for mornings. Molly made coffee and tea. A cup of coffee, black to start the morning with. Followed by a cup of tea, no milk and two spoons of sugar, followed by another cup of coffee this time with three spoons of sugar completed his morning wake up ritual. Only abandoned during his stay with the Dursleys. Started during the last few months of the last term. When the nightmares had gotten so bad he couldn't sleep.

After his second coffee, he approached the question again. This time making sure Molly was actually in the room. "What is this about a Ministry vehicle?"

"They are sending a vehicle to get us today. Along with a couple of guards Harry," she answered, and then followed with the answer to the question that was already forming. "It is to protect you son. After they confirmed, at the Ministry last year, that You-Know-Who was back, they offered assistance in protecting you."

"Oh," Harry didn't know what to say to that. He could just imagine Malfoy's comments. Both before the spell and now. Probably be the same comments really.

"But Harry isn't in any danger is he mum?" this comment came from Ginny who blushed as she realized what she had asked.

"Of course he is." Her answer was rather flat. "He has already tried a few times. I'm sorry." The last was said in Harry's direction.

Harry smiled weakly at her. Suddenly Ron disrupted the rather grim mood by jumping up, knocking the table. He had a rather large growth spurt over the summer and hadn't quite gotten used to the extra height. He tended to knock over stuff a lot. Everyone was looking at him in surprise.

"Sorry, forgot something upstairs," he darted upstairs just as there was a knock at the door. Ginny opened the door for the Ministry representatives. Harry was pleased to see Tonks standing there.

The group went to pile into the car; Tonks was accompanied by another person she introduced as Annalise Martin, her Auror partner. Annalise seemed nice enough, but kept staring at Harry's scar. He fussed with his hair, pulling it over the scar, which made her pull her eyes away, but they kept drifting back. 


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: Not Mine. I don't make any money. Nor do I hold deadline responsibilities. Rowlings can have that pleasure.

The ride was over quickly and they arrived at King's Crossing. The trucks were loaded onto trolleys and the group headed to the platform. Harry was flanked on either side by an Auror, in front by Arthur and behind by Remus who had met them at the station. He felt very conspicuous with the large group surrounding him.

They were waiting for the train to arrive when Harry got his first glimpse of Draco. He hadn't talked to him today and wondered how he would react. The train was loading and Harry headed to get on. Draco was flanked by Crabbe and Goyle when they passed by Harry and his own entourage.

He did a double take and then snickered. "Hey look, the famous Harry Potter has his own fan club." He sneered at the group. "What, Creepy Creevy wasn't enough? Will you be doing autographs later?"

Harry wanted to laugh but knew what his part was. He summoned up some anger and snapped, "At least mine know how to put their shoes on the correct feet without diagrams." He snickered as Crabbe and Goyle both tried to work out what Harry had said. He saw Draco reach for his wand and Harry reached for his own. Both Tonks and Annalise already had theirs ready and Draco slipped his hand away from his wand without drawing it.

'Careful Draco, they won't mess around, and they don't know,' Harry was quick to send the warning.

He felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up at Remus. "Come on son, time to board."

Draco was slowly moving away from the group, his arrogant swagger as he walked away without looking back seemed to infuriate Ron even more. Ron started in on his list of One Hundred Reason I Hate Draco Malfoy.

Remus just gave a slight smile to Harry. "Don't let them get to you this year Harry. I know it will be difficult, but you have so much more to worry about."

Harry nodded. There almost seemed to be too much going on. It was going to be very confusing. He could tell already. Harry boarded the train and he and Ron, Hermione and Ginny went searching for a compartment.

Annalise had already boarded the train to make sure it was safe and Tonks was behind the group. She somehow managed to trip on the last step and almost started a domino reaction, but for Harry's seeker reflexes that halted the group toppling. The two were going to accompany Harry until he reached Hogwarts grounds where it was deemed he would be safe.

Harry found the compartment that Annalise was reserving and the group settled in. Hermione and Ron left for their prefect meeting but Neville and Luna both popped their heads in and Harry invited them to join. They were looking curiously at Tonks and Annalise but settled in. 

The train pulled away and Harry heard the familiar voice in his head, 'Who in the hell are they!?'

'Um, Aurors. They are acting as my bodyguards,' he was rather hesitant telling Draco.

'Bloody hell Harry! Don't you think you should have warned me? I damn near drew my wand!' Harry almost winced at his tone.

'Sorry. I didn't know myself until they showed up to pick us up,' he knew it was a weak argument.

'Whatever.'

Shit. Draco was going to sulk again. Harry hated it when he did that. He sighed and sat back.

'I can't believe you didn't even recognize your own cousin. Or second cousin, or whatever relation it is,' he said with a sigh.

Silence. Harry rolled his eyes at Draco. He saw Tonks looking at him with concern.

"What?" he asked her with a small smile.

"Just wondering why two sighs in less than a minute. Everything okay Harry?" her concern was evident.

"Yeah. Just thinking," he looked at her and realized that her hair was strangely muted. "What's up with your hair? Why brown? I thought you liked the pinks and purples?"

She looked at him and gave a sad smile. "Well, it seemed to fit my mood today."

She didn't seem inclined to elaborate so Harry let it drop. They sat in quiet except for the occasional whispering between Luna and Neville. He wondered how much longer Draco was going to sulk, or if Ron and Hermione would be back from their prefect meeting soon.

'Which one is my cousin?' Harry couldn't resist a small smile. Harry peeked at Tonks and sent a mental image to Draco. 'Oh. She's pretty good looking. Must be related. But what is with the hair? So limp and blah. That must be from the other side of the family.'

Oh geez, he had moved from sulking to rambling on. Harry didn't know what was worse.

'She's a metamorphamagus. Her hair can be whatever color she wants. Appearance as well. It's really kind of cool,' Harry replied enthusiastically. 'Oh, and glad to see the sulk was short.'

'Wouldn't be. This meeting is boring. Granger keeps babbling on about the importance of some rule or another. I think she is trying to make a point,' Harry tried not to snicker out loud. 'She and Weasley keep looking at me.'

'Gee, I wonder how many rules they will discuss if they are trying to talk about you,' Harry asked sarcastically.

'Um…More than a few, less than you,' Harry had to grin. Draco did have a point.

'Wait a minute! If you are in that meeting…you made prefect again!' Harry was jealous, but also pleased for his friend.

'Yup, and Quiddach Captain,' came Draco's smug response.

'Why didn't you tell me? Congrats,' Harry was happy for his friend.

'Still, surprised Weasley is prefect. Would have thought it was you.' He hadn't actually told Draco about Dumbledore's reasons for not making him prefect so he did now.

'But at least I am Gryffindor Quiddach Captain,' He summarized. 'We have a lot of positions to fill this year. Keeper and both Beaters.'

The discussion was interrupted by the breakup of the prefect meeting. 'Well, later Harry. Don't talk to me when I'm with my friends. They expect me to hold court. Can't be distracted.'

'Well duh. Wouldn't want the brainless to have to think.' Harry received a visual slap on the head for that thought.

'Be nice,' Draco scolded.

'As nice as you are to Ron and Hermione,' he replied sweetly.

The door to the compartment opened and he saw Ron and Hermione come through.

"Meeting over?" he knew it was a stupid question, but being Ron and Hermione, they wouldn't question it.

"Yup." said Ron as he flopped into the seat across from Harry. "And that git Malfoy is a prefect again. I don't understand why Dumbledore would give him the position again. After what he did last year."

Hermione settled into the seat next to Ron more delicately. "Well, who else would he assign?" she asked in her usual logical manner.

"Goyle? Crabbe? They wouldn't be able to think without Draco telling them how to."

Harry snickered. "How about Zabini?"

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Yeah, and the first cute guy that looked at him he would give house points to."

"Guy?" queried Ron. "You mean…?"

Hermione grinned. "Yup. Gay. And rather flirty too. Mix with Slytherin, who 'use any means' and make him a prefect would be a disaster.'

Ron just blinked at her. Harry started laughing. He was going to have to confirm that one with Draco later.

"So the wizarding world doesn't mind?" Harry asked. All he knew about gays was what his Uncle Vernon used to rave about. They were unnatural, perverts, shouldn't be allowed. He didn't really want to make an opinion based on what he thought.

Ron was starting to look less shocked. Hermione was the one that answered however. "Not really. They don't exactly encourage it. Especially some of the pureblood lines. After all, hard to continue the line and get heirs that way. But they don't condemn people either."

Ron nodded. "Charlie is gay." It was Harry's turn to blink in surprise. "Mum was a little upset that she wouldn't get grandkids from him, but as long as he is happy." Ron shrugged.

Harry heard Tonks snort. He turned to see her doubled in silent laughter. "A little upset? She cried for a week straight!"

Ron grinned at her. "Yeah, but I think it was more because Bill and Fleur announced their engagement at the same time. Wasn't the best week for her."

Tonks burst into full laughter. Harry started laughing too, having listened to Molly complain about Fleur many times.

Luna and Neville looked on with interest. Just then Harry decided to use the good humor of the moment. "Tonks? Can we get Gryffindor colors?"

She grinned at him and in a flash, her hair was a bright red with golden streaks laced throughout it. He heard Neville and Luna gasp in surprise.

"Cool!" said Neville. "How do you do that?"

Tonks explained and Harry leaned back in his seat. So far it was an interesting start to the year. The rest of the ride was spent in good humor. Neville was doing very well. His grandmother was very pleased in his role in the Ministry battle, having bought several copies of the Daily Prophet and handed out articles to all his relatives and friends. He also got a new wand.

Ron and Hermione were arguing over some new prefect rule. Luna was lost in some book about runes. And Annalise was staring at Harry's scar again. Too soon, they arrived and started to get off the train.

Harry was instructed to remain seated until the train was empty. Annalise then left to make sure the way was clear. Tonks got Harry's luggage and Harry grabbed Hedwig's cage while he waited. Soon Annalise returned to escort Harry off the train. His friends were outside waiting when he got off.

He noticed the stares from all the other students as Annalise and Tonks, her hair still in Gryffindor colors, escorted Harry from the train, wands drawn. The carriages drawn by the thestrals waited for the students to board. Harry saw the reactions of some students who were seeing the horses for the first time. He knew there had been other attacks over the summer. He just hadn't realized how many people had actually witnessed death themselves.

'What in the hell are those things?' Harry heard the voice echoing. Covertly he glanced over at Draco to see him staring at the thestrals.

'Um, they are thestrals. How is it you see them? You haven't seen anyone die have you?' Harry was only slightly confused. He suspected he knew the answer.

'No. Only what you have shown me,' Draco's voice was very hesitant.

'It must be enough. I'm sorry,' Harry truly felt badly. He knew it was very disturbing for Draco.

Slowly Harry walked towards the horses. He saw Annalise's confusion as she followed and knew instinctively that she couldn't see them. Tonks was looking at them with sorrow. He knew that she was thinking, as he was, of Sirius' death the previous year. Slowly Harry reached out and patted the thestral in the front. It turned and sniffed at him, but otherwise didn't react.

He turned back towards the carriage to get in. As he did so, he saw several of the other students imitating his actions. He smiled slightly. Tonks took his arm to hold him back for a second. He nodded as Annalise got into the carriage first. Then he got in followed by Tonks. Ron and Hermione and Ginny climbed in.

"When we get to Hogwarts, Annalise and I will be returning to the Ministry. They are waiting for us to report in. After the feast, Dumbledore wants to meet with you Harry, alone, in his office." Harry nodded.

As the group reached Hogwarts, Harry once again had to wait inside the carriage while Tonks went and made sure everything was clear. He was beginning to feel a bit ridiculous. He felt Draco's mild irritation.

'Damn Potter, do you really have to keep all of us waiting?' was the snide comment.

'Sorry, not exactly how I pictured all this either,' he retorted. Tonks was back with the all clear. Harry climbed out with Annalise and the group headed to the Great Hall. Once Harry was at the doorway to the room, Tonks stayed him with a touch to the shoulder.

"Don't worry Harry, we're all watching out for you. You won't be forbidden from Hogsmeade but someone will be going with you when you go. I've volunteered for all the trips," she smiled. Harry was pleased to hear she would be one of the ones with him. Annalise had already started to leave, partly to give them a few moments. Harry hesitated for a minute, then impulsively hugged Tonks.

"Thanks." She smiled in genuine pleasure. "By the way, those colors are really great!"

Harry went to the Gryffindor table and sat with his friends while they went through the sorting ceremony. There was more about houses uniting in the face of threat. Students sorted, more cheering, and finally food. Harry was starving. Molly's sandwiches she made for everyone were always way too dry. Harry didn't have the heart to tell her no thanks. He had never had anyone make him a lunch before.

Dumbledore gave his usual speech and introduced a new Defense Against Dark Arts professor. Harry couldn't help the thought about how this one would end. His name was Slughorn, and he used to be a Slytherin if the looks coming from that table was anything to go by. Hagrid was quite conspicuously absent from the meal. Harry wondered if he was doing more Order work. 

Too soon Ron and Hermione were getting up to lead the first years to the dorms. Harry relaxed at the table chatting with Neville and Seamus and Dean for a bit. Dumbledore had sat down after he speech, but now he was standing up. He nodded in Harry's direction and he headed for the door. Harry met him there and they headed to Dumbledore's office together.

Once there, Dumbledore stated the password letting them in "Weasley's Wizard Wheezes". Harry grinned.

"Hi Fawkes," he said and went straight to where the bird was perched. The bird came forward to greet Harry and he petted him for a bit before he heard Dumbledore clear his throat. Harry turned and Dumbledore waved to a chair in front of his desk. Harry took a seat and Dumbledore started to speak.

An hour later it was a stunned Harry that left the office. In addition to his regular classes, he was to have private ones with Dumbledore himself. Harry didn't know what those lessons were going to be. He knew that they weren't going to be Occlumancy. Dumbledore made it clear that Snape was the only one that was qualified to teach that to Harry. If Harry wanted to continue those lessons, he would have to make the arrangements himself.

'Harry, where are you?' was the curious comment. He paused for a moment and realized, the strange fluctuation of emotions he was feeling must be rather disturbing for Draco.

'I just had a meeting with Dumbledore. It was rather,' he paused wanting the right word. 'Intense.'

'Oh. Is everything okay?' Harry nodded at Draco. He wasn't ready yet to put things to words. He knew however that Ron and Hermione were going to want details when he got back to the tower. He somehow wanted Draco to hear first. So quickly he gave Draco the highlights of the meeting.

'So what do you think these lessons might be?' Draco asked.

'Dunno. I mean, not like he would be teaching me Dark Magic, and I don't know what else he would teach that could help,' Harry was mystified. Draco wasn't much help either.

'Look, I'm back at the Tower now, Ron and Hermione are going to want to know what happened. Talk to you later,' He felt Draco's annoyance at being pushed aside. 'Whatever. Prat. I told you before them, so just deal.'

He felt the pleasure in Draco when that fact settled in, but mercifully he was quiet. Sure enough, no sooner did he get in than Hermione and Ron were dragging him to the room to question him. They didn't have any ideas either on what Harry might be learning from Dumbledore.

Finally Hermione wrapped the group up saying they had to be up early for their potions class and Snape wouldn't be very understanding if they were late. Harry headed to his own bed, drawing the curtains around before getting comfortable. He knew he wouldn't be going to sleep for a while yet, but he wanted to spend some time with Draco.

They chatted together for a half an hour before Harry noticed how tired Draco was getting.

'Harry,' he asked. 'Do you think we could get together tomorrow?'

Harry pondered that. 'Don't know how. At least, not without someone noticing.' They were quiet for a time while they tried to think of ways they could get together without being spotted.

'I got it!' Harry exclaimed. 'Go to the library tomorrow evening. Back row, bottom shelf, third book from the right, look behind it.' He had just the plan.

'Um, okay. And what am I looking for?' Draco was hesitant.

'Just let me know when you get there. I'll let you know what to look for,' Harry smirked to himself.

'Okay. 'Night Harry,' he felt Draco yawn and knew he was about to fall asleep. Harry wrapped an arm around him and waited for the response before he relaxed. In no time Draco was asleep.

Harry got up and dug through his trunk. He pulled out his potions book and decided he should start reading it before class. Snape was sure to give him a hard time.

He was moving through a group of Death Eaters. They were all bowing before him. Something was wrong. They had failed him yet again. His eyes lit on the one he awaited.

"Well?" he didn't waste words. He knew what was expected.

"I..I'm sorry Master. They were expecting us. The object was moved." the voice was filled with fear. The punishment was expected to be high.

Rage filled him. The Order was getting to be a major thorn in his side. "Avada Kedavra" the words were a hiss and the green jet of light had barely left his wand when he turned and walked away, not bothering to see the body that fell.

"Leave him!" he commanded as others went to his side. "Let the animals have him."

Harry woke with a gasp. His glasses were askew, the potions book lying beside him.

"'arry?" was the mumbled question from Ron. He felt an arm, Draco, around his shoulders.

"It's okay Ron, go back to sleep," the voice was barely a whisper as he said this lie.

But it wasn't really a lie. It was okay. Draco was there. He felt the shudders still coursing through his body.

'Harry, it's okay.' Draco's voice was rather shaky. 'Hey, not nice, but at least it was a Death Eater. And whatever he wanted, he didn't get it.'

Harry tried to smile. He knew Draco was right. But he couldn't get used to the casual way that Voldemort cast the spell. The lack of feeling, except the rage.

'I know. But I still…' Harry didn't know how to put the words to how he felt. Fortunately, with Draco he didn't have to.

He felt Draco's hand rubbing his back. He tried to lay back down but was too edgy. He could tell that in spite of Draco's harsh words, he too was upset by the vision.

'Harry, don't you think you should go back to Snape? Maybe ask him to do the lessons again?' Draco was very hesitant when asking this. He knew how Harry felt about Snape. As expected, Harry tensed up.

'Hang on, before you go off on me,' he rushed to get the words out. 'I know you don't like him, but you haven't really told me what exactly happened. I know you think you can't but neither can you keep having these dreams!'

'Snape hates me. And after what happened last year, he sort of has the right to,' Harry couldn't quell the guilt that he felt, remembering what he had done.

'Well, given that you feel guilty about it, shouldn't you start by apologizing?' Draco was patronizing in his support.

'It isn't just that. He didn't like me even before that. Frankly, from what I know, he sort of had cause,' Harry was almost stuttering in his words. Trying to find the right words without telling Draco what he saw was difficult.

'It has to do with your father doesn't it?' Harry was amazed at Draco's perceptiveness.

'Oh quit being so shocked you git and just go to sleep,' Harry smiled. He felt Draco's arm slipping around him and lay back down on the bed. This time he felt more relaxed.

A few minutes later, he sensed Draco falling asleep. In spite of his own relaxed state, it was still some time before he fell back asleep. 


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: Hmm, not mine. I haven't made any money from my writing efforts, and Rowlings is still much richer than I, so they really must belong to her.

A few minutes later, he sensed Draco falling asleep. In spite of his own relaxed state, it was still some time before he fell back asleep.

He kept thinking of all the things that Draco said. But above all the other arguments Draco presented, one of his own kept coming out. Every time he had a dream, so did Draco. What if Draco himself woke up screaming like Harry did? What if Draco started to turn as frightened of sleep? He couldn't impose this on anyone.

He made a decision. Tomorrow he would ask Snape to teach him Occlumency. Sleep washed over him. He knew he had made the right decision.

The next morning he wasn't so sure. He entered the Great Hall and saw Snape. Their eyes met briefly and the icy hatred sent a chill through Harry. He looked away quickly and found his gaze meeting Draco's. He glared at Draco, even though inside he was smiling.

'I'll let you know when to go to the library,' he said. If he hadn't been watching, he might have missed the nod.

Harry sat and started his morning beverage ritual. After last night's dream, he needed an extra cup of coffee to get going. He looked at Draco out of the corner of his eyes and noticed he also looked overly tired.

"All right Harry?" asked Ron.

"Yeah. Just took me some time to get back to sleep last night," he answered.

"What happened?" Harry flinched when he heard Hermione's voice. Now she was going to start in on him.

"Another dream," answered Ron. Harry glared at him.

"Harry!" He recognized the tone. "I thought you said you weren't getting them anymore!?" she was annoyed.

He sighed. "No, I said they weren't as bad."

"But you still get them right?" he nodded. "Then you need to talk to Snape about the lessons."

Her tone didn't leave room for arguing, so Harry didn't try. She took this as cause to start in. Harry sighed. She was really starting to annoy him. Her know-it-all behaviour was very helpful when trying to figure out a problem, but right now it was driving him crazy. He drank down the last of his coffee, swiped a slice of toast and got up from the table.

With a glare he snapped, "Let me worry about the damn dreams will you! I am the one that has to live it!"

He stormed off. As he walked past the Slytherin table, he noticed that Draco was looking very upset. They avoided eye contact, but Harry made an effort to calm down for his sake.

The day passed quickly and Harry skipped lunch. He had calmed down, but wasn't ready yet to talk to Hermione. Instead, he went to the library. He went to the book that he told Draco to look in and slide the Marauder's Map in the back cover. He hesitated for just a moment when slipping the book back in place.

'The book is ready,' Harry wasn't expecting an answer. He didn't get one. He knew Draco was afraid of slipping up in front of his friends.

He thought about his afternoon class, double Potions. He really wasn't looking forward to this. Somehow he knew Snape was going to be even worse this year. He had all summer to come up with new ways to torture Harry. And Harry was going to be swallowing his pride.

Maybe it was a good thing he skipped lunch. He felt the toast from breakfast threatening to come back up.

'Harry, cut it out!' the order was very brisk. 'It is just potions. You can get through it. Just don't let him get to you.'

'By the way, I'm on my way up.' Harry went to a corner of the library and dug out his potions book. He knew there wasn't much time left before class and wanted a quick review.

'What in the hell? A piece of paper?' Draco was rather indignant at what he felt was a waste of a trip.

'Yes. And be damn careful with it. I will tell you how it works later,' Harry knew he was being boorish but he was too nervous about the class. He slammed his book shut and headed to the classroom determined not to be late.

Several endless hours later, 20 points lower and a zero for his potion that somehow "accidentally" fell, Harry was beginning to reconsider his decision to talk to Snape. As he made his way to the door to go out, Draco pushed him against the wall. To everyone else, it looked like he was being his usual nasty self. But Harry knew, he was telling him to stay. He sighed.

"Potter! What are you still doing here?" Harry hadn't moved from where he landed when Draco pushed him.

Slowly he stood back upright and closed the door. He didn't look at Snape as he said "I wanted to talk to you sir."

He drew a deep breath and slowly turned around. "I wanted to…I needed to apologize. I was wrong last year. I shouldn't have looked…I mean, they were your private…" he sighed. "It wasn't right. But I'm not sorry I saw what I did. You were right about my father. He was rather arrogant. And not always very nice. Especially to you. But I'm not my father sir!" he said the rest in a rush.

He didn't know what else to say but he took a gamble on the next words, "I'm not my father, any more than you are yours. I don't want to be judged because of what he did. I want you to teach me what you can about Occlumency. I'm sorry I invaded your privacy." The last sentence was almost a whisper as Harry ran out of steam, his bravado fleeing him.

There was silence. Slowly Harry looked up at Snape, afraid of what he would see. The look in Snape's eyes was frightening. It was furious, but contemplative. There was something else there that he couldn't quite figure out.

Finally, endless minutes later, "Thursday evening. 8 pm. You can serve your detention here."

"But sir, I don't have detention," Harry protested.

"You do now. Now get out of here," the voice was cold.

Harry didn't know how to respond. He picked up his bag and left the room. At the doorway a sense of true remorse washed over him and he whispered "I really am sorry sir." before leaving. He didn't know if Snape had heard the words or not. He didn't stop to look.

'See, not so bad,' was the comment from Draco.

Harry almost started to laugh. Hysteria bubbled inside him. 'Not that bad? Were you feeling the same things I was?'

'Hey, you are still alive. I consider that successful. Is he going to train you?' Harry couldn't argue with the logic.

'Yeah. I get to serve detention,' he grumbled.

'Ouch. Did he take more house points?' Draco commiserated with Harry.

'No. He really didn't say much. Are you alone?' Harry decided to switch topics.

'Yeah. Going to tell me what the big deal about this paper is?' Draco was almost sounding eager.

Harry allowed himself to smile. 'Yeah. That is called the Marauder's Map. Tap your wand against it and say "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good" and then give it a minute'

He felt the shock go through Draco. 'So this is how you managed to always be a pain in my ass these past few years!'

Harry looked around quickly as he started to laugh. 'Um, is there any way to really answer that?'

'Nope. Who are these guys?' Harry quickly explained.

'Please don't let anything happen to it. Besides my cloak, it is the only thing I have of my father's.' Harry was feeling a little nervous. He never let anyone have it except occasionally Ron.

'The Invisibility Cloak?' Draco asked.

'Yeah. Tonight, check the map; let me know where to meet you. I'll be under the cloak,' Harry had reached the Tower.

'Gotta go. Later,' he said quickly.

He gave the Fat Lady the password and entered. He saw Hermione on the couch. There were a few other people in the room, but he didn't take much notice as to whom.

"Hermione," he felt kind of bad about snapping at her now.

She looked up at him and he told her about his "detention" on Thursday.

"Does that mean…" she glanced around quickly, not wanting to say anything where it would be heard. Harry nodded. She jumped up and gave him a quick hug.

He smiled weakly at her and said, "Let's see if I live through it before we celebrate anything."

He sat and worked on homework with her. Finally, dinner came, and Harry's stomach made sure he knew it was not happy about the lack of food.

'Damnit, I thought we were over the whole starving thing!' Draco was whining again. Harry grinned at Hermione and Ron and they headed to dinner.

It was much later when Harry slipped on the cloak. Draco directed him to an empty classroom on the second floor. He slipped into the room and saw Draco staring at the map. He closed the door behind him, locked it and moved to the corner before removing the cloak.

"You know, this thing is amazing. I could go through the castle and get enough blackmail material to keep me from having to do homework all year," Draco said. He moved towards the corner where Harry was, his eyes not leaving the map.

"Did you know that Terry Boot is currently in the Astronomy Tower with Zabini? I am really going to have to talk to him about his choice in …partners." Draco sounded amused.

Harry realized how strange it was to actually be listening to Draco talking. The voice in his head was so much a part of him that the voice in the room felt, strange. He smiled slightly.

"That isn't why I loaned it to you so behave," he scolded.

Draco smirked. "I know. But I'm still Slytherin. I can use some of this stuff. This is going to be a really fun year." Harry couldn't resist laughing. The mix of emotions with the almost childish eagerness was too funny.

They spent the next hour just talking. They had slide down to the floor and were facing each other as they talked. Several times there was a lull in the conversation. It was different talking in person. They found when that happened, closing their eyes and going back to their mental communication helped.

Harry smothered a yawn and Draco deemed the evening of conversation officially over. They stood up and awkwardly looked at each other, not knowing how to end the evening. Harry figured he had gambled already today and won, so he stepped forward and hugged Draco. It was the first physical contact the two had made since, well, the whole connection started. There was a small sense of a magical charge. Quickly he stepped back, stunned. He looked at Draco and almost yelled.

"Oh shit!" Tiredness was gone. Shock remained.

"What!?" Draco was slightly freaked, feeling only Harry's emotions, not knowing the cause. Harry grabbed Draco's arm and pulled up his sleeve. There, on his upper arm, a scar. He grabbed the other arm and looked at it. Carved in the upper hand, the words "I will not tell lies." Draco was staring at the marks in shock.

"What in the HELL!" Harry couldn't form words. Slowly he pulled up his own sleeves, showing the scars on his own body. He looked around the room and found a mirror in the corner. Mutely he led Draco to the mirror. As Draco looked, he saw a scar on his own forehead, in the shape of a perfect lightning bolt. Suddenly he felt dizzy. Both boys went back to the corner and sat down.

"Ohshitohshitohshit" Draco was almost in a panic.

"Um, yeah," Harry barely was able to piece together the response. "Um, spell again?"

"What in the hell am I supposed to do Potter!" Draco wailed. "And where in the hell did these other scars come from?"

"Um, how about I answer the second question, because I have no clue on the first," Harry wanted to panic himself. But he decided to distract himself with the other scars. He told Draco about the events was relieved to feel some of Draco's panic slip into fury.

It was easier to think with anger. Panic was less familiar to him. His mind raced trying to find a solution. When it finally came it was simple. Far too simple. Quickly, he told Draco to wait here for a moment, grabbed his cloak and raced back to the tower.

He ran as quietly as possible to his room, opened his trunk and searched for what he was looking for. Grabbing a small bottle he ran back to Draco. The Fat Lady was a little upset at him for keeping her awake, but she didn't know who she was mad at so Harry paid her little mind. Finally, panting, he got back to Draco.

Draco gave him a strange look when he handed the small bottle. "What in the hell is this stuff? We didn't make anything like this in potions."

Harry grinned. "It's Muggle. They call it cover-up. Mostly women use it. I got some to cover my scar. But I don't know anything about how to buy it and it was way too light for me. It made it too obvious there was something there. Your skin is so much lighter than mine; I think it will work for you."

He saw Draco looking at the bottle with again, considering it. Harry took the bottle from him and opened it. He dipped a finger into it and with his other hand tilted Draco's head towards him. He felt Draco's unease at being touched and tried to reassure him.

"I won't hurt you. You know this," he looked deep into Draco's eyes. He didn't smile, just focused on the emotions. Draco nodded hesitantly and Harry brought his hand up to Draco's forehead. Light brushes across where the scar was and the make-up blended across, very effectively hiding the mark. Harry noticed that unlike his own, Draco's version of the scar didn't include the puckered skin. It seemed more of an echo which made it much easier to cover. And the tone was a perfect match. In all, it worked perfectly at hiding the mark and unless you were looking for it you couldn't see it. Harry felt himself relax, and a grin spread across his face. He took Draco over to the mirror.

"Thank Merlin!" Draco himself was so relieved that he turned and gave Harry an exuberant hug. Harry returned the hug, slightly more nervous, remembering what happened the last time they hugged. But nothing else seemed to happen.

The two returned to the corner and talked. They agreed that Draco would have to keep the scar echo covered. They would go to the library the next day and try to find something magical they could use.

Draco asked why Harry was trying to cover his own scar. Harry told him about how much he hated that when people met him the first thing they did was start staring at his scar. He told Draco about the train ride, with Annalise staring at the scar the whole time.

As they talked Harry felt Draco getting tired. He decided it was time to end the evening. They once again said goodnight, this time without event, and returned to their dorms with promises to get together the following night.

The next couple days passed quickly. They met at night and just talked. During the days they ignored each other except to glare. Occasionally swap a couple insults.

Soon it was Thursday night and Harry stood outside Snape's office, breathing deeply. He was very scared. He had warned Draco to find someplace private for the lesson because, well, the lessons quite frequently got kind rather physical.

Draco got nervous and upset until Harry explained that it wasn't that Snape touched him, only that the mind onslaught was so intense the he and Snape often wound up throwing themselves and each other across the room with magic. Granted, usually it was Harry on the physical end, but occasionally Snape. Draco nodded and said he would pretend to go to sleep early.

Harry opened the door and saw Snape bent over his desk. He didn't look up when Harry entered. "You are late. Detention, next Thursday, same time." Harry sighed and looked at the clock. Two minutes. This was going to be a long year.

Snape set his quill down and grabbed his own wand. "Prepare yourself." Barely saying these words he pointed his wand at Harry and hissed "Legilimens!"

Harry braced himself for the invasion of his mind. There was nothing. He saw Snape's eyes widen. Again he cast the spell and again nothing happened in Harry's mind.

"Well, well, Mr. Potter. Looks like you have been practicing this summer," Snape's eyes were glaring at him. Harry debated what to say. He didn't have to say anything as Snape cast the spell one more time.

'Draco, um something going on here!' he was not sure what to make of this development. 'Snape can't get into my mind.'

'Well that's good isn't it?' Draco asked.

'Um, I think, but why can't he? Not like I have been able to do the defence on my own,' Harry was very uncertain of this development. He didn't know if maybe it was another of Voldemort's plots.

Finally Snape, panting, quit trying to get into Harry's mind. Harry looked at him trying not to let his confusion show.

"Impressive," Harry wanted to feel pleased. Snape never complimented him. But this wasn't something Harry did. "Perhaps losing the mutt helped you learn."

Harry felt the rage explode in him. Before he knew what had happened he raised his wand and was about to cast a spell when his wand flew out of his hand. He heard Snape repeat the spell "Legilimens!"

Harry still didn't feel the invasion of his mind. Even though he had lost his temper. Still Snape remained outside his mind. He saw Snape's eyes widen, almost in fear. Harry's wand landed at his feet.

"Get out Potter," the words were snarled at him. Harry grabbed his wand and flew from the room. He got up to his room and threw himself on the bed. He drew the curtains closed and then he told Draco everything that happened.

'Something has gone wrong. I have almost never seen Snape in fear. Only the one time,' Harry felt the words pouring from him.

'One time?' Draco queried.

'Um, yeah,' Harry realized he had said more than he meant to. He trusted Draco though, so continued. 'Um, fourth year, when I finished… um, returned from the tournament. Dumbledore asked Snape to return to Voldemort.'

'Ah. And obviously he did, but I'm surprised that he let you see him that way. You do realize that you do trust him, in spite of everything between you guys right?' Draco asked him.

Harry thought about that. Even though he hated Snape, he did trust him somewhat. Snape had saved him several times over the years. The game where Quirrel had jinxed his broomstick, sending the Order to the Ministry, even coming after him when the Dementors attacked him at the lake.

They decided not to get together that evening as Harry had to catch up on his homework. When Ron and Hermione came in later he filled them in on what happened in the lesson. He left out the comment about Sirius and Harry's loss of temper.

Hermione was beside herself with excitement. She threw herself at Harry giving him a hug.

'Ow, what in the hell are you doing Potter?' Draco was a little put out.

'Um, Hermione was hugging me. She gets a little over enthusiastic when she is excited about something. I told her about the lesson.' Harry had to smile. He knew how tight Hermione could hug. His own ribs ached sometimes. Tonight it wasn't too bad.

"I know, Snape actually complemented me," Harry grinned at Ron and Hermione when their jaws dropped. When Hermione moved to hug him again Harry moved back out of her reach. "Hug him." he said and pointed to Ron. Both of the two in question blushed.

Harry laughed and dug out his Transfiguration homework. The three of them sat on Harry's bed and worked on their homework together. It was some time later, they were bent over their essays on how to transfigure a porcupine into a pincushion when Harry felt Draco drift off to sleep. He felt a small smile playing on his lips. 'Good, he is way too tired most days' he thought to himself before he too slowly faded into sleep. 


	7. Chapter 7

The next day passed quickly and Harry was again waiting for Draco to tell him where to meet that night. They had decided to talk about researching the spell…or whatever it was that they had accidentally cast. Neither boy was sure they actually wanted to reverse it, but they wanted to know what had happened.

They didn't want to examine the reasons why they didn't want to reverse it. That was too disturbing to think about. They just felt…comfortable. It was nice knowing there was someone they didn't have to hide themselves with. Someone they couldn't hide from.

They made their way to the restricted section of the library, both huddled under the cloak and peering at the map. Harry heard Draco snicker and looked at him questioning. Draco pointed to a pair of dots on the map, in a small classroom on the first floor. The dots were so close they were almost on top of each other, labelled "Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger"

Harry gasped. "I knew it!" he muttered. "About bloody time too. I thought I was going to have to do something drastic like kiss her to make him jealous."

"You mean you haven't already?" Draco asked. "I kind of assumed, the way you two are always around each other that you had."

Harry couldn't hold the slight shudder that went through him. "Hermione? No thanks. I love her to death, but just as a friend. Kind of like Ginny, a sort of sister. Besides, I would hate to kiss her, she would break the whole thing apart and start telling me everything I did wrong and what I should do to fix it." Draco let out a smothered snort of laughter.

"Why can I see the Mudb…" he broke off the thought and quickly changed it and the fury the ripped through Harry. "Er, see Granger doing that."

They continued the path to the restricted section. Finally, they got to where they wanted to be and threw off the cloak. Making sure no one was anywhere nearby they decided that Harry would watch the map while Draco searched for a book that might help. It was slow going and at the end of two hours, they had nothing.

They debated staying longer. It was Friday night, no classes, but Harry was holding Quidditch tryouts the next day and he didn't want to be out too late. Plus a quick glance at the map showed him that his friends had left their love nest and returned to the rooms. He knew he couldn't be out too much later without them questioning it.

Mostly however, the two boys wanted some time to just talk. So they found their way to a nearby classroom and sank into a corner. They almost never touched. They just sat side-by-side or facing each other and talked. Sometimes it was about their respective childhoods. Sharing memories. Sometimes Harry recognized bits of Draco's memories and realized they were the dreams he had at the beginning of summer.

Tonight they were discussing the tryouts tomorrow. Harry admitted to being nervous about it. What did he know of choosing a team? He was raised by Muggles and never heard of the game until 5 years ago.

Draco offered him some advice, and finally told him to listen to the Weasel. Harry had given up on trying to correct the name. He knew it was just jealousy. Unlike when Draco used the term Mudblood. That was years of conditioning at Malfoy hands. It was a phrase Harry was going to eliminate from Draco's vocabulary.

At the end of the night they gave a quick hug and rushed back to the dorms. And neither boy ever mentioned the way their minds held each other at night.

The Quidditch tryouts were a nightmare. Nearly every student in Gryffindor showed up on the field. Harry started by telling them that if they were in first year or weren't in Gryffindor, they needed to leave the field. Several kids left. That still left the problem of organizing the remaining students.

To make matters worse, the Slytherin team showed up to ... Harry didn't know what they were doing. Other than being pains in the arse. He could hear Draco and Crabbe and Goyle snickering when Harry tried to get the remaining students to divide into those trying out for Keeper, Chaser and Beater, and several of the girls stood there giggling and looking at Harry. He asked them again what they were trying out for and they blushed but gave him a look that said they had no idea what he meant.

Harry sighed and asked them to please have a seat in the sidelines if they weren't actually going to try out for a position. The girls started to giggle at that comment. Harry blushed but turned away from the girls. He was getting a headache. He hadn't even started to test the people wanting to try out.

First he decided to make sure they could all fly decently. He had Katie and Angelina join him and they led the students in a quick flying test. This weeded out over half the students there. They started just flying low and in circles. Harry flew up to each student and quietly told those that weren't able to keep up to go ahead and land. Slowly they made the flying moves more complex until they were flying in circles and up and down. Harry finally landed the group and had them split back up into what they were trying out for.

Ron was trying out for Beater and Harry was grateful. After his shaky performance as Keeper the year before he was afraid of the results. Surprisingly, Ginny was trying out for Keeper. The next few minutes were spent organizing the students into groups to try out. They flew the first tryouts in the air. Harry acted as a Chaser and they tested the new Beaters and Keepers, rotating the tryouts. 

In time the tests were done and Harry had a decent idea of who he was going to put in each position. Ginny made an excellent Keeper, having only let one shot through. Ron had done an excellent job as a Beater. He was almost as good as Fred and George. A young second year had made a surprising showing in the Beater tryouts and Harry was split between him and a fifth year.

There were also a couple potentials for the empty Chasers positions. These tryouts he had saved for last, wanting to fill the other, more difficult positions first. When he landed his broom to start the last round of tryouts, he was embarrassed to realize that his fan club of giggling girls was back. They seemed somehow worse.

His head was really starting to hurt. Quickly he glanced up into the stands, trying not to be obvious. Draco was rubbing his head with one hand. Harry closed his eyes and tried to breathe a couple slow breaths. It seemed to help a little.

He braced himself to continue the tryouts. Finally, after what felt like forever, he had a team together. He consulted with Ron several times, once with Draco, and three times with Katie and Angelina. He wanted to talk more to Draco but was afraid of being obvious that something was going on.

Finally the tryouts were over. He dismissed all the students he had not chosen and told the rest to get him their class schedules by the following weekend so he could set up a training schedule. At last he was free to go. He turned to see once again the giggling fan club. This time however, it seemed Ginny, Angelina and Katie decided to take matters into their own hands. The three girls walked over to Harry. Angelina and Ginny each took a side and wrapped an arm around Harry's middle. Katie slide behind him and wrapped both arms around his chest.

Harry felt his face turn red. He heard Draco start laughing. The laughter was not even in confined to his head. He turned around to see Draco doubled over with laughter. Crabbe and Goyle and the other Slytherins were staring with jaws dropped. Especially when Angelina and Ginny cuddled up tighter to him and both leaned up to kiss a cheek. Katie leaned up and nibbled on an ear. Harry couldn't move from shock.

Katie unfolded herself from Harry, walked up to the group of girls, who miraculously had quit giggling, and said "Bugger off ladies; he is much too busy for any of you." She turned to Harry and waggled an eyebrow. Harry felt faint from embarrassment.

Harry felt a sharp pain in his buttocks and elbow at the same time as he heard a "thump" behind him. He resisted the urge to flinch from the reflected pain.

Instead he turned and said over his shoulder "Jealous Malfoy?"

"You wish Potter," was the sneering response.

'Go with it Harry. They are giving you an "out" for the twit brigade,' Harry laughed. Out loud. Oops!

Quickly he recovered. He moved to kiss Ginny but changed path to kiss Angelina instead. Ginny was too much like a sister. It would be…weird.

His lips met Angelina's and the kiss quickly turned into something more. Something deeper. This was different from the fumbling kiss he shared with Cho.

He pulled back in amazement. Angelina was looking at him with a strange look.

'Oh Man!' Harry had to agree with Draco's sentiment. 'This could get really kinky' Draco's voice was a bit shaky.

Katie came back to the trio and wrapped an arm around Harry's neck. She moved to pull Harry down for a kiss. He pulled back and grinned. "Why don't we take this to the Tower?" he asked with a grin and a bright blush.

"Sounds great," chimed in Ginny. "Then maybe we can get naked!"

"Ginny!" Ron and Harry yelped in unison. Harry had forgotten about Ron. He glanced around and saw the amused and some scandalized students.

Harry decided to hurry the group back to Gryffindor Tower. They passed the group of girl on their way in. Once they were safe inside Harry pulled away from the three girls.

"Umm…thanks for…um…you know," he stammered. He was turning red again. Idly he wondered if it was possible to turn that shade permanently from blushing too much.

He couldn't look at Angelina. He wasn't sure what to think of the kiss. He thought he wanted to repeat it, but with Draco…observing…it seemed too strange. They really needed to figure out this spell soon. Not that he wanted to get rid of Draco per say. He really liked the feeling that he wasn't alone. He just wanted something. Hmm, he didn't even know what the right words were. Wanted to let Draco go if he wanted? Harry sighed. It was really too complex to consider.

That evening he got the first message for a meeting with Dumbledore. He went to the Headmaster's office and was very surprised at the lesson he received. It was about Tom Riddle. Or in this case, about Tom's family and birth. So Riddle wasn't the only one that was messed up. His grandfather, uncle and mother were real prats. He was thinking about what he had learned, but didn't know how it applied to battling Voldemort. It was really confusing.

He only had an hour until he was supposed to meet up with Draco. He rushed back to his rooms to talk to Hermione and Ron. They were still trying to hide their relationship. Harry thought it was amusing. They would look at each other and blush. Hands linger next to each other before being pulled away.

Finally Harry snickered and asked "So did you two enjoy yourselves last night in the Charms classroom."

Ron sputtered and Hermione turned red and shuffled papers in her hands, hiding behind a book. Harry laughed and said "Marauder's Map, remember?"

He took advantage of the moment and excused himself. "I will give you guys some time here in the room."

He took off with his cloak in his pocket. 'Draco, I'm out early. Told Hermione and Ron that I was giving them some alone time.'

He snickered at the groan from Draco. 'I didn't want the mental image Potter.' There was a pause. 'Looks like the way is clear to the library. Meet you there.'

Harry hurried to the Restricted Section and prepared himself for another round of teasing for the tryouts scene and being cross-examined about what he did in Dumbledore's office. Topped with a round of research and this was working out to be a very long night indeed. And to make matters worse, Hagrid still hadn't returned from where ever he was. He wondered if Hagrid was with Madame Maxine, wherever he was.

As expected, Draco started in on him as soon as he got to the library. He took one look at Harry and burst into laughter that was almost as hard as the fit he had at the Quidditch pitch earlier. Harry gave him a glare and started looking at the shelves hoping to find something they could use.

It was several days later that Harry finally found something. Ironically enough, it wasn't even in the Restricted Section that he found the passage. He was working on a paper about the history of curses and their path through the laws. He read the passage twice. Then a third time. It was definitely the first spell that he had come across that fit all the symptoms that he and Draco were showing, but it couldn't be! This just couldn't be right!

iThe first known spell to ever be banned in the Wizarding World was banned shortly after the fall of the Babylonian Empire. It was called (roughly translated) Two Become One. It involved two persons of magical ability binding themselves together; mind, body and soul. Very little is truly known about this spell. Most people did not survive the casting of the spell and the unstable nature often caused death or madness shortly thereafter. It is reported that the two would develop physical characteristics of the other, ability to feel pain when the other was injured, increased healing abilities, the capability to communicate with the mind without the accompanying madness. Most important to note is due to the soul mate binding nature of the spell, if one partner died, the other followed, usually after a period of madness that would last for up to, several years before succumbing to death. It was used to bind people whose souls were well matched. If not a match, the spell would kill the casters and often the recipients. The stronger the mates, the stronger the powers granted. It was even rumoured their magical abilities increased. However, if the bond formed too quickly, it was impossible to control, causing magic to rage out of control destroying everything around it. Many theorize this is the true reason that the Babylonian Empire fell. /i

Harry felt the blood drain from his head. He felt dizzy. 'Harry? You okay?' Was that Draco? He looked around barely aware. Hermione and Ron weren't there. It must be.

'Yeah,' he took a breath. 'I think I found it.' He was almost afraid to say even those words.

'Found it? You mean the spell?' Draco was sounding excited.

'Yeah,' he couldn't bring himself to say more.

'Um, shouldn't this be a good thing?' Draco was starting to sound worried. Harry was way past worried.

'Um, get up here now,' He knew it would grate with Draco's stubborn "no-one-orders-me" attitude but at this point he didn't care.

'Where?' It was a sign of Draco's worry that he didn't even argue or scold Harry.

'Back corner, left side. I'll put on the cloak when you get here,' Harry could sense Draco's urgency building. He wanted to reassure him but needed to reassure himself first.

He saw Draco coming in and quickly threw the cloak around himself. He moved out of the chair he occupied and pushed Draco towards it. Looking around he slipped a hand from under the cloak and pointed out the passage.

The minutes clicked by. Draco did exactly what Harry did, read the passage over and over before his head fell forward onto the edge of the table.

"Oh hell. Is this saying what I think it is?" Draco muttered.

'Dunno, which part? The part that we could potentially destroy all of Scotland? Or how about the fact that we are likely to go mad?' Harry shuddered.

'Wait! This can't be the right spell!' Draco suddenly exclaimed. 'It says "soul mates" and I don't think that we can be described as that! I mean, we are both straight for one. Or at least I know I am.'

'I am too. But what else could it be? The signs are all there.' Harry felt a slight flicker of hope. 'Let's find something on soul mates. See if there are any explanations there.'

Draco moved to find a listing of books. Harry waited for him to get some of the books and come back. His mind was racing. The article mentioned strengthening of powers. He hadn't really noticed that. Maybe it wasn't the right spell. After all, no one could have described Draco and he as soul mates. The thought was ludicrous.

Harry let his thoughts stray to the kiss he shared with Angelina. That was a memory worth savouring. Well, except that Draco also felt the effects. Which was kind of embarrassing.

Suddenly Draco was back. He had several books in front of him. Casually he slide one off to the side. Harry slid it under his cloak and started reading. The two sat side-by-side, one visible, one covered, reading for hours. Harry saw Hermione and Ron looking for him. Draco sneered at them when they came in but didn't say anything.

It was many hours later when Draco once again dropped his head to the table top.

'Found it,' the tone didn't fill Harry with hope. He grabbed the book and read the passage.

iThe term soul mate has taken on many new meanings in recent years. The traditional meaning of the word is one in which two souls are perfect partners. When pairing souls, gender, sexuality, age or upbringing are meaningless. It is not a romantic blending of souls, rather two souls that compliment each other. Strengths in one where there are weaknesses in the other, similar emotional and psychological needs, and above all else, the ability or desire to be the most important thing in the other person's life. Many times, the perfection of the blending has led to romantic involvement. /i

Harry sighed. He knew that they fit that description. Even their classes, where the one got lower grades, the other got better. As for being most important in each other's lives, until recently, they had been probably the most important negative forces on each other. They went out of the way to annoy each other.

This was bad. Really bad. 'Draco, let's find somewhere to be alone. Really need to get…oh gods.'

Draco stood up and headed out the door. Harry trailed behind him, barely seeing anything but Draco's back. The kept going until they reached the Room of Requirement. Harry was shocked when they went inside. All that was in there was a single, very large comfortable armchair. Big enough for two.

He swept the cloak off and both boys looked at each other. Harry saw the fear in Draco's eyes. He knew it was there, he felt it but seeing it was something else. He knew his own eyes were showing the same fear. The two boys moved into each others arms and towards the chair. They sat down, clinging to each other.

'What…' Harry paused, and then spoke aloud; almost afraid to use the skills they had become adept at.

"What does this mean Draco? Are we going to …go insane?" he was very confused.

"I don't know Harry. I mean, if the writings are correct, the last time the spell was cast was literally thousands of years ago. How can they be accurate? Most of it was talking about rumours even," Harry couldn't tell which of them Draco was trying to convince.

He finally looked up into Draco's silver eyes. They burned with a fierce intensity that made Harry pull back. He focused on the emotional link and realized that Draco had a determination to protect him. HIM, Harry Potter! It was an unusual experience, and Harry didn't know how to react. But he knew he felt the same way. The idea of Draco going mad was, terrifying.

"I think we need to do more research. We know where to start now. The name of the spell at least. It should…and the time frame. If we look in stuff from Babylon," Harry tried to pull them back into focus.

The two boys remained in the chair for some time. They were curled into each other, silent. Both lost in their own thoughts and fears, neither wanting to lose the contact that gave them comfort.

Finally Harry sat up, pulling away. He gave a sigh and said "We should get going. Ron and Hermione are already looking for me. They will start getting worried if they don't find me soon."

Draco nodded. "You go first; I'll follow in a bit."

Harry slipped out the door and ran back to the tower where his friends were waiting. He painted on a bright face not yet ready to explain what the problem was. Several days passed. He and Draco spent time both together in the evenings and on their own during the days trying to find anything on the Two Become One spell.

It was a potions class that things started to once again go weird for Harry. He was barely doing anything. Waiting for the damn thing to finish heating. Just then Snape yelled at him for being careless and daydreaming and gave him detention.

Harry sighed. Somehow he suspected that it had more to do with "extra lessons" than actually anything he was doing, but it was still annoying.

That night Harry showed up at Snape's office for his "detention" and barely walked through the door when Snape threw a "Legilimens" at him. Once again Harry had no hint of the invasion of his mind.

"What have you done Potter?" snapped Snape. "How have you so completely blocked my mind?" Harry was mystified.

"What do you mean sir?" he asked.

Snape gave him a look and handed him a book. Harry looked at the book and read the cover. It was a text he had seen Snape reading through the week, during classes.

"You will spend the evening reading this book. I do not want it to leave this room and you will not discuss it with your ifriends/i when you leave here," Snape gave a sneer at the word friends. He didn't pause for any response from Harry before he turned and stormed away.

It was a book on Legilimency. Harry opened the book and started reading. Time passed very quickly. Before he knew it, Snape was back telling him it was time for Harry to return to his rooms. Harry rubbed his eyes and glanced down. He had read several chapters already.

It raised many questions. He suddenly realized what Snape had meant by his question at the beginning of the class. Most people who study have to study for sometimes years before they can completely block another person. Usually they are only successful at blocking a portion of the thoughts.

Silently Harry handed the book back to Snape and left the room. He realized that the time was rather late and when he felt for Draco realized that the other boy had fallen asleep already. When he got back to the tower, Ron and Hermione were in the common room waiting for him. They had dozens of questions to which Harry simply told them that he couldn't talk about it. They were extremely frustrated with him when refused to budge on the subject. 


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: The characters are not mine. They belong to JKR who makes money from them. Alas, I do not make any money from them. Don't even make money from the plot, which is somewhat mine.

Three days passed, it was a Sunday afternoon when Harry got the owl. It had a letter from Dumbledore asking that he and Hermione and Ron please go to the Headmaster's office immediately. Harry showed the note to the other two and they warily made their way there.

They discussed what it could possibly be that they were being called for. Harry wasn't sure if it was supposed to be one of his "extra" lessons, but why would the other two be called in?

It was worse than anything he could imagine. The Headmaster informed them that Hagrid had been on a special mission for the Order. He had been killed by Death Eaters. There was a spy in the Order. Hagrid's mission had been kept very quiet, only the inner circle of the Order knew his location. The Death Eaters knew his destination and his path and had planned the precise location for an attack. Both Hagrid and Madame Maxime had both been killed.

Harry sat in silence. The words barely absorbed. It wasn't true. He couldn't believe it would possibly be true. Spy. Hagrid was dead. Spy. Traitor. He felt Hermione and Ron each taking an arm, helping him up. Hermione was crying. Ron looked close to tears as well. Harry felt like he should be crying too. But there weren't any tears.

His head felt fuzzy. They headed to their Tower. Harry heard Draco saying something to him but he didn't know what. Hermione was saying something to him as well. Something about going to the Great Hall for dinner.

"I'm not hungry," he said. He pulled away from his two friends and raced off in the other direction. As soon as he was around the corner he pulled his cloak over him and ran. He kept running. His breath was coming in short pants, sweat was pouring off him. He ran through a couple of the ghosts but didn't stop. When he reached the end of one hall, he simply turned and ran another direction. His mind wouldn't register where he was going.

Finally he found himself at the Astronomy Tower. He collapsed on the ground in the corner. He was curled into a tight ball as he remembered taking Norbert up here his first year. That reminded him of Hagrid. Everything reminded him of Hagrid. He couldn't breath. He could still hear Draco calling him. He sounded upset but Harry couldn't really comprehend what he was saying.

Hours passed. Harry didn't know really how long. He just knew that it was Sunday, there weren't any classes so he didn't have to move. The sun went down, the stars came out and still he sat there. The pain kept building in his chest. He wanted to scream out his pain and anger but he didn't. He sat there. Curled in a ball, and occasionally rocking back and forth.

It was some time later before the door to the Astronomy Tower opened hesitantly. He didn't look up, just hoped it wasn't some couple getting ready to shag in front of him. He didn't particularly care. He just wasn't about to move.

He sensed rather than saw or heard Draco approach him. He looked up at him, forgetting that he had the cloak on. Draco was holding the map and had knelt down near where Harry was sitting. His hand slowly reached out until he found the cloak and pulled it off Harry.

When Draco looked into Harry's eyes, the anguish reflected there was frightening. The feelings that he had been getting from Harry had been painful enough but was nothing compared to the look in Harry's eyes.

He slid onto the ground next to Harry and wrapped his arms around him. The map lay on the ground between them and Draco pulled the cloak over both of them. He pulled Harry tightly into his embrace.

Harry resisted the embrace. He had never really known this kind of comfort before. Finally he slowly relaxed, leaning into the blonds embrace. The warmth of the arms around him, the concern radiating from him, the hand that hesitantly reached up and pulled Harry's head into Draco's chest, stroking his hair. He started shaking.

Draco was murmuring nonsense words to Harry. He didn't know what to say. Dumbledore had informed the school of Hagrid's death at dinner that evening. Before that, Draco was not sure what had caused Harry's breakdown. Draco had needed to retreat for a while himself because of the exertion that Harry was doing, the pain and emotion.

Slowly, Harry began to talk to Draco. He told Draco about dreaming of the large man holding him snugly in his arms telling him that he was going to be safe as they flew over London on the flying motorbike. The point when he realized that this was the same man that rescued him after his parents were killed. Learning he was a wizard and was going to be getting away from the Dursley's. He told Draco about Hedwig, how she was his first ever present. The words poured out. Some out loud, most using their own communication. Draco just held him close, rocking the other boy, sometimes stroking his hair, sometimes rubbing his back.

As the words poured out of the smaller boy, Draco began to feel the loss of the half-giant himself. He had never liked the man himself but hearing about Hagrid from his…from Harry, he started to realize that maybe he had allowed his parents to influence this as well. He was wrong about the professor and Harry's grief was proof of that.

Still Harry didn't cry. Draco felt the smaller boy shaking in his arms. He tipped Harry's face up to look down into his eyes. The anguish seemed somehow greater. Draco felt tears slipping down his own face, to land on Harry's.

Harry's voice whispered brokenly, "I loved him Draco. I loved him and he died. Everyone dies on me. It's my fault isn't it?"

It was this broken question that caused Draco to start crying fully. "No Harry. Not your fault. Never your fault. Just those insane bastards."

He moved himself and Harry so the other boy was pulled fully into his lap. Draco's tears fell onto Harry's face, leaving trails down both them.

'I can't cry Draco. Why can't I cry? I should be,' his voice was lost and forlorn.

"Don't worry Harry, I'll cry for both of us," Draco whispered. He looked into Harry's eyes and slowly, not knowing why exactly, he lowered his lips to Harry's. The two met, their lips pressed very gently together. It was a kiss devoid entirely of passion, purely of comfort. Giving comfort, seeking solace, never deepening but going on for an eternity.

Finally Draco pulled back, looking into Harry's eyes. His thumbs reached up and dried the trail of moisture that his own tears left down Harry's face. Harry's own fingers reached up to mirror the actions of Draco.

They spent the night wrapped in each other's arms. Occasionally kissing, mostly just holding each other. So wrapped up in each other and Harry's misery that neither noticed the warm glow that enveloped them keeping them warm and safe.

As the light of dawn crept over the horizon, the two boys broke apart with one last light kiss and headed to their own rooms to sneak in before their dorm mates would awaken.

Several hours later, Harry woke to an empty room. Apparently Ron and Hermione had decided to let him sleep. As awareness swept over him, so too did the actions of the night before. He remembered with embarrassment kissing Draco. It was strange but it just felt right somehow. He wasn't sure how to behave. Tentatively he reached out to Draco and was relieved to notice that Draco was feeling the same. Embarrassed, but no regret or disgust. Not to mention a great deal of confusion.

He knew he was straight. He really enjoyed the stunt that the Katie and Angelina and Ginny had done on the Quidditch pitch the other day. But it was different somehow. Maybe it was the spell. Maybe they were soul-mates.

Suddenly the rest of the evening flooded back. Hagrid's death. Grief filled him again. He didn't know what to do to get past it. This was different somehow from even Sirius' death. He lay back down on his bed, not eager to go to The Great Hall. He didn't want to face anyone yet. There was just so much. Too much to deal with. Kissing Draco, Hagrid's death, the spy in the Order, everything was just too much he felt so alone.

'Harry, it's okay. It's like your dreams, you aren't alone. I'm here with you,' Draco seemed to know just the words to say. No one ever knew what to say to Harry. He liked that Draco did.

'I know Draco. I just feel like… I think sometimes I am cursed. Everyone that loves me gets killed you know? I tell myself that it isn't my fault but how can I keep believing that? I love them, and they die. How much more can there be?' Harry felt the desolation so deeply. His whole body felt like ice.

He felt something that was much like the press of Draco's lips against his again. A soft smile spread across his face. He wanted to return the kiss, but wasn't sure he was ready to deal with that today. Instead he settled for wrapping his arms around Draco and hugging him gently.

'I think I need to be alone for a while today Draco. I mean, with my own thoughts and stuff,' he could sense that Draco understood what Harry was trying to say. That he wasn't rejecting Draco, just wanting some time to deal with the blow that he had been dealt.

'Um, I can't believe I am about to say this, but make sure you toss out a few "big oaf" and other insulting comments today. I know it will be difficult after last night but people will be expecting it,' Harry felt the discomfort the idea gave Draco.

It was several hours later when Hermione and Ron found Harry. He was in the owlrey petting Hedwig. She was nibbling on his finger and cooing gently at him.

"Harry," Hermione sounded hesitant. "Are you okay? I mean, you didn't go to any of your classes. I went ahead and got your work. The teachers weren't too upset, but I don't think you should skip any more."

He turned to her and managed a small smile. He was feeling better. Not good exactly, but able to cope. And the several meals that he had missed were catching up to him as his stomach growled.

"Yeah, I just needed some time," he gave Hedwig a final stroke before heading back to the main hall. "I m actually in need of food. Are they serving dinner yet?"

"Harry, do you want to talk," Hermione really could be a bit of a pest sometimes when she got a thought in her head.

"No Hermione. I'm doing okay. Really," he assured her at her look of doubt.

Ron came up to him and gave him a loose hug. "We are here if you want us mate. I'm going to miss him too."

Harry followed his friends to the Great Hall. When he entered he heard the noise dim slightly, everyone seemed to be staring at him.

'I'm sorry,' came a quick comment from Draco.

It was followed by a cutting comment that explained the apology. "Oh goody, do we get to see old Scarhead go crazy again? What is his fascination with big hairy things anyhow?"

He reached for his wand and felt Ron and Hermione each grab an arm. Harry knew he wouldn't have harmed Draco but the pain still cut deeply, even though he understood. Even though he had actually asked for the comment.

He growled deep in his throat and moved to the Gryffindor table. Heart heavy, Harry tried desperately to shake off the cutting pain.

Harry bit his lip with the effort of holding back his shaking. The pain seemed to be translating itself into raw fury. He gripped his wand tightly.

'Harry, please, PLEASE don't make me do that again,' pleaded Draco.

Harry swallowed hard, trying to swallow the lump in his throat. He felt along the bond that he shared with the blond and sensed how much taunting Harry during his obvious grief had hurt Draco.

'I won't,' Harry said. 'I'm sorry for putting you in that position.'

Harry took a breath and turned, Hermione and Ron still each holding an arm and went to the table. Very deliberately, Harry took a seat at the table and began to fill up a plate. His appetite had fled at the events in the Great Hall, both with Draco and just the spectacle of everyone staring at him.

Unwilling to give everyone another thing to talk about, Harry slowly began to eat his food, not looking at anyone. Eventually, the noise returned to the Hall when the other students realized that there wasn't going to be a fight, nor was the Gryffindor going to break down.

The meal was almost over when once again, trouble struck Harry in the form of the Potions Professor.

"Mr. Potter, perhaps you feel that you are too good to attend classes with the rest of your class, but rest assured, _I_ still expect you to be present for your detention." With his message delivered, Snape stalked off out of the Hall.

Harry sighed and buried his head in his hands, unwilling to deal with another lesson so soon. He could hear Ron muttering about nasty Slytherins but couldn't bring himself to contribute to the conversation, his own thoughts far more consumed with what he would say to Snape, who was sure to have questions that he would expect answered. 


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: The characters and places belong to JK Rowling, Warner Bros., Scholastic Books, and all the other people that make money from them. This sadly, does not include me.

After picking at his meal for an hour, only gently nudging from Draco occasionally prompting him to eat a bite or two, Harry finally pushed away his plate and made his way to the detention he was obviously assigned. Though, he felt it would have been nice to have warning, more than one hour's worth at any rate.

Slowly, he made his way to the dungeons. His mind was split between anger at being dragged from his grief, and relief in having something to distract him. But did it have to be Occlumency? The frustration from not having answers and the reminder of the bond that he shared with Draco that would most likely drive them both insane and kill half of England just seemed like too much today.

He was driven from his thoughts by the feel of a gentle hand stroking his face. 'You aren't alone, remember?' came the chiding comment.

Harry smiled slightly, his eyes drifted closed briefly as he drew in a shaky breath. 'Thank you,' he said simply.

Harry drew in another breath in an attempt to control himself then said, 'Time to face the dungeon demon.'

He felt rather than heard the snort of laughter from Draco before he was being scolded, in a manner that reminded him strongly of Hermione. 'Harry! Really, he is my Head of House and a professor. Give him some respect.'

Harry snorted, 'Sure, as soon as he does me.'

Harry withdrew from the conversation as he realized he was now standing in front of the Lab. He straightened his shoulders and braced himself before knocking firmly on the door.

"Enter," snapped the surly Potions Master.

No sooner had he entered the room than a spell came flying at him. He barely caught the word, 'Legilimens' before the spell hit him. Once again it had no effect. Not even the slightest hint of a memory flash or headache. No sign of invasion.

Snape let out a growl of frustration before stalking towards Harry. Instinctively, Harry took a step back out of nervous fear.

"Potter, I do not know how you have managed it. One of these day I iwill/i figure it out. For now, I suggest that you should learn Legilimens." Harry's head reeled. He didn't want to see his professor's memories. The ones he had viewed the year before was bad enough. He was afraid of learning more.

He shook his head, even as his professor was continuing his rant. "No one will know of these lessons, even the Headmaster. In addition, if I hear a single word of anything you may witness outside of this room, I will have you in detention until your grandchildren are attending Hogwarts. Is that clear?"

Mutely, Harry nodded his head. "Very well. You will sit there and read the chapters on Legilimency. After you have finished, you will practice the movements and incantation. After I am satisfied that you will not be turning my brain into a slug or something equally repulsive, then and only then, you will attempt the spell. Understood?"

Again Harry silently nodded his head. He made his way over to the table where the book lay and opened to the chapter that Snape had indicated. Quickly, he made contact with Draco to fill him in on what he was to be doing. He felt the shock from Draco and added his own thoughts, 'Um, I'll let you know when I start actually casting the spell. Don't know if this is going to work or even how. So you might want to be alone because…' he drifted on the thought, but knew that Draco had understood what he was trying to say.

Panic filled Harry for a moment. Snape had warned him against anyone outside the room learning of the memories. What if Draco saw the images? What if Draco accidentally said something? What if…Harry reigned in his frantic thoughts and focused on the book in front of him. It didn't take long before he had finished the section, and using his quill instead of his wand, he began to shape the movements.

Several moments passed before Snape addressed him. "Now with the incantation if you don't mind," he snarled. Harry could tell that Snape was no happier than he was about this portion of the lessons. He wondered why they were doing them when it was obvious that Snape did not want to do them, and yet he had implied earlier that the Headmaster did not know or approve of this portion of the lessons.

Half an hour later, Harry had the wand movements and the incantation up to Snape's standards, and the two men were now facing each other. Harry had given Draco warning and the blond had replied that he was currently safe in bed with a Silencing Spell up.

"Potter! Get on with it and quit wasting time!" Snape snarled.

With a nod, Harry cast the spell. He barely had time to notice that he had done it properly before he was immersed in the other man's memories. The ease with which he slipped into the other mind startled him. He had little time to register a young Snape walking around the lake with a girl with red hair and green eyes, just as it dawned on Harry that it was his mother, the memories had shifted. A stern, dark haired man was screaming something at a child, then another shift. A flash of blond hair entered his mind when Harry felt himself being flung across the room. He felt the spell against his chest as his back crashed into the wall.

Harry slumped to the floor, gasping for breath. He could hear Draco yelling in the back of his mind, whether in fear or pain Harry couldn't identify as he was too busy trying to draw air into his lungs. Shakily he pulled himself into a kneeling position, but was unable to move further.

Snape stood across the room, a look of fury on his face, but for once, silent as he waited for Harry to recover. Finally, Harry stood and moved in front of his professor.

"You have proven that at least you can learn something. Why don't we see how successful you are at this when someone is Occluding?" the older man growled.

Harry nodded hesitantly. Slowly the two faced each other again, wands drawn. Harry lowered his briefly when he saw his hand shaking. He wanted to draw strength from Draco, but could sense the other boy was doing worse than he was. Harry had some experience with what was happening, this was Draco's first.

Quickly, before Snape could yell at him, Harry again raised his hand. The spell he cast was just as quick and even more effective now that Harry knew what he was doing. What surprised him was the ease in which he entered the other man's mind. Wasn't he supposed to be blocking him?

Memories flew past. There were several memories of Death Eater meetings, Snape and Harry's mom studying in the Library, Lucius and Narcissa and Snape standing over a crib. Suddenly, Harry again was flying into a wall. His head hit with a hard CRACK and Harry felt a wave of blackness go over him. His head hurt, his chest again felt like it couldn't draw a breath from the dual impact. He struggled to remain conscious, afraid that if he lost consciousness for even a moment, Snape would give him a potion.

He lay curled on his side, part of him registering the fact that Snape was screaming something at him, Draco was in the back of his mind whimpering in pain and fear, and the rest of Harry's attention was focused on driving back the darkness and breathing. One arm curled protectively across his chest, another around his head where he could feel a warm wetness that he assumed was blood.

For several long minutes, Harry struggled. Finally, he felt himself regaining control of his body and able to breath more easily. He winced as he slowly started moving, suspecting that he may have broken a rib. The words that Snape was ranting then began to register with Harry and he heard them as if from a distance.

Snape kept going on about how even the Dark Lord couldn't break those shields and a snot-nosed, arrogant, brat without the sense of a flobberworm shouldn't have a chance. He was demanding answers and Harry felt Draco's discomfort.

'I think we have to tell him something. This didn't go right Draco. And any moment he is going to offer something for the damage and I don't know what to say. We can't take it! If I try to not take it, he will force me, or demand answers!' Harry was getting worried and frightened.

'Harry, calm down. I agree. Besides, we need to tell someone. And you know how I feel about the Headmaster,' Draco soothed him slightly. Harry gave a shaky nod of his head. "Okay," he spoke out loud.

When he realized what he had done, his eyes opened wide. Snape had fallen silent and was looking at him with suspicion.

"Er, shit?" Harry said.

"Who exactly were you speaking to Mr. Potter?" Snape asked.

"I'll explain everything sir. Please, just, can you Disillusion yourself and meet at the statue of the One-Eyed Witch?" Harry pleaded faintly. His head still hurt, and he met the other man's dark gaze with pain filled eyes.

Snape's eyes narrowed with mistrust but after an endless moment, he finally nodded his agreement. Harry pulled his Invisibility Cloak over his head. Slowly he made his way to the statue and pausing occasionally as a wave of dizziness swept across him. As he approached, he saw the doorway open and knew Draco was also there. Quickly he slipped through the entrance and removed his cloak.

He felt Draco's hand on his shoulder pressing him downward as he saw the spy wielding his wand. Quickly, Harry moved to place himself between the two Slytherins. His head pulsed in pain with the sudden movements and he felt nauseous, but still he stood his ground.

"Professor, I know this looks strange, but please, just give us a few minutes and we will try to explain everything," Harry looked up at the angry professor. The pain radiating from both boys' eyes made up his mind. Slowly he lowered his wand, eyes never leaving the suspicious sight in front of him.

No sooner had the wand lowered, and then Draco was once again pressing Harry downward. With a sigh of relief, Harry sat on the floor to allow Draco's fussing. Gentle hands pushed his head forward and began sifting through his hair, pressing lightly on his head. A few whispered words and a tingling feeling brushed over Harry's head. Harry felt the cut mend and the bump slowly fade. The headache, however, lingered.

Harry felt fingers loosening his tie and brushed them away with annoyance.

"No Draco," he muttered.

"Please Harry, at least let me make sure the broken ones are okay," Draco asked. "Don't make us suffer if we don't have to. It's bad enough when there is nothing we can do."

Harry smiled weakly, memories of the abuse of the summer still rather fresh in his mind. He dropped his hands, defeated in the face of that argument. "Okay, but just the broken ones, then I think Snape wants some answers," Harry said looking up at the stunned man.

Harry sat quietly while Draco removed his tie, robe and shirt. He winced slightly when the gentle fingers brushed over a particularly sore spot. He was looking into the silver eyes of his friend when Draco whispered some healing words and the broken bones mended themselves.

With the worst of the injuries taken care off, Harry smiled slightly at Draco. "I think we have managed to do what students have been trying for years…Make him speechless." Harry snickered with a slight gesture towards the Potions Master.

Draco laughed slightly even as he shifted himself and Harry to a more comfortable position. "Please Professor. Make a seat," he gestured weakly.

Coming out of his shock, Snape waved his wand and transfigured a rock into a chair, before sitting down. "First," he snarled, "Explain how you managed THAT!" he waved at Harry's chest and head.

Harry looked at him confused. "They were just healing spells. Draco has been studying them for years."

"Not that you imbecile! How did he do it without a wand?" Harry sat up quickly, a fresh wave of pain from his headache reminding him not to do it. He looked around and saw that Draco's wand was still on the floor a few feet away. He twisted slightly and was looking into Draco's eyes, reflecting the same shock back at him.

'Spell?' he thought.

'I think so. I think we might need Snape now. I …We don't know what this stupid spell is doing to us and I think Snape can help us get the information,' Draco responded.

"Well!?" snapped Snape, the shock was rapidly wearing off and his patience was wearing thin.

"Sir," Draco started, cautiously. "I don't think we can answer that unless we start at the beginning."

Snape glared at the blond before nodding curtly.

"First, can I get some questions?" Harry interjected.

'Harry?' queried Draco. The two boys ignored the dark look Snape gave Harry.

'I think I trust him Draco, I just…I don't know. I need to know before I can fully trust him,' Harry answered.

Draco nodded and they returned their attention to the confused man who was still glowering at them.

"Sir?" Draco asked. Finally, Snape nodded.

"I saw…that was my mother wasn't it?" Harry asked the question hesitantly.

"Yes, it was," Snape said quietly.

"Were you friends?" Harry thought of the memory of the two walking around the lake.

"Yes." The answer was short and offered no further insight.

Harry drew a shaky breath. His ribs, the ones that were only bruised so not healed, ached and reminded Harry that he still had to be careful.

"Please Professor, I need to know that I can trust you and you really aren't making this easy," Harry pleaded.

Snape stared intently at Harry, his gaze shifted slightly to the blond boy, whose arm Harry lay comfortably in, before his expression relaxed and he nodded slightly.

"Very well. Your mother was one of the few friends I had here at Hogwarts. She was easy to talk to and never cared what the opinions of others were. She saw the good where others saw evil," Harry smiled slightly. It reminded him of what Remus had said about her.

"What happened?" he asked softly, knowing that the friendship did not last.

"Potter happened," Snape growled. Harry flinched back into Draco. He could just imaging, the memory of Snape dangling upside down still haunting him. He felt Draco run a comforting hand up and down his arm.

"He and your mother started dating," Snape continued. "The taunts and pranks just got worse. It got so I couldn't even leave the dorm without something happening. Then, the Shack incident. I got detention and twenty points off for being out of bed after hours, and sworn to secrecy. Potter and Black got off with little more than a harsh lecture. Your mother never knew the truth. A week later, I drove her away for good when I called her a Mudblood."

Harry closed his eyes and swallowed hard, past the lump in his throat. "I'm sorry," he whispered.

"Harry," Draco's voice echoed near his ear. "Don't apologize. You didn't have anything to do with those events."

"Mr. Malfoy is correct. I will not accept your apology for events that you did not partake in," Snape said reluctantly.

"Is that why…?" Harry gestured towards the older man's left arm.

Snape inclined his head in what was barely a nod. "It is also the reason that I came back. When I realized that your mother was to be the Dark Lord's next target, I had to do what I could to prevent it."

Harry nodded. "I think I understand."

He shivered somewhat, a cool breeze having run across his still bare chest. Draco shifted slightly and grabbed the robe still lying next to them. He cast a quick warming charm on the clothing before wrapping Harry in it and pulling him back against his chest. Harry breathed a sigh of relief, his headache faded just slightly.

"Now," Snape snapped, his surly mood returning. "It is I believe your turn. How about you start with how long the two of you have been a couple."

"What!" they exclaimed. "We aren't a couple!" their voices chimed in unison.

Snape raised a single eyebrow. "You are doing a very good imitation of it," he stated simply.

Harry flushed and could sense that Draco was as well. "Er, well…This is going to take a while to explain sir."

"Professor," said Draco. Snape looked at him expectantly. "What do you know about soul-mates?"

Snape snorted. "That is little more than silly girls' romantic myth. There is no evidence to support the existence of soul-mates."

"Just as there was no evidence to support the existence of The Chamber of Secrets?" Harry asked quietly.

Snape paused. "What do you know?" he asked.

"Unfortunately, not very much," answered Draco dryly. "Which is why we are trusting you."

Snape gave them a hard look. "Why me? Why not the Headmaster?"

"We don't exactly trust him," answered Harry.

"Why not?" the response was to the point.

"Because he lies, he uses us to do what he needs, because he left me with them and never checked on me. Because this is a school, it isn't supposed to be a battle site, or a place where politics are what decide friendships. I'm supposed to hate Draco because he made fun of Ron's clothes and he is supposed to hate Ron because he made fun of Draco's name. Not because Draco is a Death Eater's child. I hated Draco honestly at first. He reminded me of Dudley, his arrogance and the way he made fun of my friends. But then, Dumbledore brought in a stone and hid it in a school. He invited Voldemort into the school by doing that," Harry paused as both Draco and Snape shudder violently.

"Sorry," he apologized. "I'll try to remember."

Snape nodded and Harry took a breath to continue. "I don't know what would have happened between Draco and me if things went normally. I mean, we hated each other. I think that was obvious enough. But then at the end of the year last year, it changed."

"When?" queried Snape, his curiosity aroused.

Harry closed his eyes; his headache seemed to be growing worse. "During the last potions class. The fight. Something happened." The effort of talking seemed to be getting harder.

Draco pressed him down until he was practically lying in the other boy's lap. His fingers gently started rubbing at his temples.

The blond took over the story while Harry relaxed into the tender touch. "We didn't notice anything at first. It was a couple weeks into the vacation before we became aware of what was going on."

Draco raised a hand and rubbed his own head. Snape fished through his pockets before coming up with a Headache Potion. Silently he held it out to the two boys.

Draco shook his head. "We can't take them. They make us sick."

Snape raised a brow. "Us?"

"Um, yeah. Getting to that," Draco stammered slightly. He winced. Malfoys never stammer. Harry really must be rubbing off on him, and by the look on Snape's face, it hadn't escaped his attention either. 

He resumed rubbing Harry's temple; the headache was starting to fade slightly. "When I returned home, I refused the Dark Mark. My mother wanted me to take it to redeem ourselves to the Dark Lord. I…didn't want to. Not yet," he glanced down at the now sleeping brunet. "Not ever," he whispered.

"Anyhow," he resumed at a normal tone. "Mother had me…punished. The effects were felt by Harry. He disturbed his family with his screams. They decided to punish him by keeping him locked up. And not really feeding him," he paused as the word sank in to his Head of House.

"I don't know what to comment on first." The dark eyes were flashing slightly. "I am proud of you for standing up to your mother. I assume that by what you have just said, you and Potter can feel what the other does?"

Draco nodded.

"And Potter…what are you saying about that?" Snape didn't sound sure of himself.

"His relatives hate him. They starve him, to a slight extent, beat him. Or, more correctly, they allow his much larger cousin to beat him and don't stop him. They laugh at his injuries and encourage Dudley to hit him. This summer was…bad. I was beaten at the beginning of summer. Then locked up. Mother made sure the house elves fed me, but it didn't seem to matter. I was constantly hungry. At this point, we didn't really know what was going on," Draco shifted back into his story.

"It wasn't until one day that the strangest thing happened. I heard Potter cursing me out and it sounded like he was in the room with me. We discovered that we could…talk to each other. With just our minds. At first we, well, fought. But we were both locked up and frankly, bored out of our minds. So before long, we just started talking. That was when we found out we felt what the other did, and we were having strange dreams. Sometimes they would be about the Dark Lord, which Harry told me were visions," he saw Snape start at that.

"The Dark Lord is still getting in?" he questioned.

"I don't know. WE don't know," Draco answered. "We are kind of hoping that you can help us figure that out."

Snape nodded. "Continue."

"The other dreams were odd. I remember one where I was running through a Muggle area, and I was being chased by a group of boys. When they caught me they were laughing as one of them held my arms and the others were hitting me. Harry was dreaming about going to Knockturn Alley as a little kid," he paused.

"Shared dreams?" asked Snape.

"No, I didn't dream any of the same things. It was more like I was learning his memories. And he, mine. We still have these dreams. At first it was several a night. Now it is just once in a while," he thought for a moment. "Anyhow, it seemed like, as soon as we adjusted to one thing, something new happened. At first, it was feeling what the other did, and talking with our minds. Then we discovered that we could share images with each other," Draco blushed when he remembered some of the earlier visuals.

"I do not wish to know. Please continue," said Snape dryly.

"Right. Um, we were bored. We talked a lot. At night, it was comforting to know that we weren't alone. He told me about…well nearly everything. And we soon discovered that we could feel each others emotions. When Harry was happy, frightened, sad…I could feel it all. And the other way around. He was so hungry. All the time. I found out that he was barely being fed. He got a half a bowl of soup, or cereal a day. And he had some candy in his trunk from when he left school that he had divided up for the summer. I think it was like six jelly beans a day. He didn't even care when he ate the nasty ones," Draco paused. He could sense that Harry was waking slightly.

"He is about to wake up. He doesn't sleep much. The visions. And it's worse now that I seem them. He hates that I have to suffer from them," Draco explained, as he resumed he gentle rubbing of Harry's forehead, hoping to encourage him to drift back into sleep.

Snape's mind was racing, trying to absorb all that he was being told.

"About a week before he was to leave for the Weasleys' his aunt started giving him fresh fruit and for his birthday she gave him a handkerchief with his initial hand stitched on it. Apparently, it was the best birthday present he ever received from them," Draco snarled slightly. He calmed as he felt the shift in Harry.

"I can't tell you how relieved I was when he finally went to the Weasleys' and was fed. For the first time in over a month, my stomach stopped feeling like it was eating itself. A little while later, my mother decided to try again to convince me to join the Dark Lord. We both wound up unconscious when Harry decided to throw himself off the broom. When he woke up, Mrs. Weasley gave him a Headache Potion. Within seconds, we were really sick. Harry was throwing up. We were dizzy, and soon after Harry threw up, we passed out again. It was horrible," Snape had a look of intense thought.

"Not much else happened that summer. When we got back, we worked out a way to meet, and to research. The first time we met, we hugged and…" he paused trying to find the words to explain. Finally he reached into his pocket and drew out a piece of cloth. He wiped his forehead and looked up at the waiting man.

"This happened," Snape let out an exclamation of surprise, standing quickly and knocking over his seat in the process. He strode over to Draco and looked at the lighting bolt echo on the young man's forehead. The events were enough to wake Harry who slowly opened his eyes. The headache was mostly faded.

Snape ran a finger over the flat mark on Draco's head. "How are you keeping in masked?" he asked finally.

"It is a Muggle product for women called cover-up," answered Harry.

"Except I am running low, and don't know how to get more," said Draco warily.

"Give me the bottle, I will find a way to get some more for you," suggested Snape, moving back.

"I have…a lot of scars to cover," whispered Draco. Harry was looking at the ground.

"How?" Draco waited for Harry, but soon became aware the other boy wasn't going to answer.

"Er, there is the scar from the basilisk, from when Wormtail revived the Dark Lord, from where Umbridge used the Blood Quill,"

"THE WHAT!?" yelled Snape, outraged.

Harry flinched. "Blood Quill. She made me write lines. I must not tell lies."

Snape was shaking in fury. "I will kill that bitch next time I get my hands on her," he snarled.

Harry smiled slightly. For once the Potions Master's ire was directed at someone other than himself.

"Anyhow…" said Draco pointedly.

"Yes Mr. Malfoy, do continue," said Snape, resuming his seat.

"Once we were together in person, the changes started again. We have been meeting in the library to try and find answers. And we think we know what it is, but there isn't any other information on it," he said reluctantly.

"And are you going to fill me in, or am I going to have to guess at what is going on in your mind…minds," he paused in confusion.

"It is called, 'Two Become One'," offered Harry. "There was only about a paragraph on the spell. It was banned…a long time ago. After," he shuddered.

"What?" asked Snape softly.

"It was the cause of the destruction of Babylon," whispered Harry. "All it says is that the participants had to be soul-mates, and that the power was shared, and grew. And the recipients frequently went mad and destroyed everything around them."

Snape drew in a sharp breath. He collapsed back into his chair.

"How," he cleared his throat. "How is it cast?"

"We don't know sir," answered Draco. "But, I think the power has grown again. I have never been able to do wandless magic before."

Snape nodded. He closed his eyes and swallowed hard. "And you haven't told anyone?"

"No sir. Only, well…you," Harry answered.

"Very well. I have to think about this for a while. I need to do some research. Detention next Friday night. My office for both of you," said Snape.

Harry smiled slightly before arguing. "We can't talk about that there sir. The portraits, carvings, everything. They report to Dumbledore."

Snape nodded. "I was thinking in terms of getting permission to take the two of you to gather potions ingredients."

Harry and Draco smiled. An outing, with someone who knew about their…friendship? And no need to hide.

Snape moved to kneel in front of them. He took each boy's chin in his hand and looked into each of their eyes.

"We will find the solution. I will not let madness take you. It has been over a thousand years since this spell was used. There has to be a solution today that was not used then," he looked at them, his expression serious and determined.

Harry felt himself relax. The burden of the knowledge, now shared, lighted the weight pressing on him. He could feel the same thing coming from Draco. They nodded at the older man.

"I will be returning to my office and expect that the both of you will be returning to your dorms immediately. No trips to the library tonight. You need sleep to heal," he said as he stood and cast a Disillusion spell on himself and left. 


	10. Chapter 10

Harry made his way to the Tower, his injuries now a light throb thanks to Draco's healing. He couldn't help but wonder where Draco learned the healing spells that he had employed.

A thought started to whirl in his head; a way to help Draco achieve his dreams of becoming a healer and keep the training a secret. Harry crept into his bed and lay quietly his mind spinning. There were too many thoughts about what was going on for Harry to sleep.

He felt the doubts creeping in about whether he should have trusted the Potions Master or not. He could feel a cold chill as he thought about trusting not only his own life to the dark and potentially dangerous man, but that of his…bond-mate? He felt a slight shudder go through him at that implications of _that_ thought.

His mind drifted to the shared kisses. He didn't know what to think about that particular incident. It was comfort. It was soothing. It was…love. But Harry didn't feel in love.

He thought about the kisses that he had received from Draco and the kisses that he had received from Cho, and other females. They couldn't be compared. The ones from Draco were comfortable. They weren't intended to incite lust, or passion, only to soothe. They eased the ache of losing Harry's first friend.

That thought brought up a whole new set of pain and confusion. Who would have betrayed the half-giant; the selfless man who would have died to protect any of the children that he guarded? He was in fact, the man who did die to protect the world that had never treated him with anything but contempt. They had called him many things. The fear of the giants bleeding over, accusing him of being capable of mass destruction born of rage, lack of intelligence and blood that could resist most spells. The only thing that Hagrid was capable of harming was anyone that dared to threaten those that were under his protection. Of course, there was also the danger from those beasts that he had such a fondness for, claiming them to be "misunderstood" creatures.

Harry felt the ache in his chest again. His eyes burned with unshed tears. He wished that he could cry, but the tears still failed to come.

Suddenly, Harry felt the stroke of a hand running through his hair. He smiled slightly and heard Draco, "Sleep Potter. You need the rest."

Harry nuzzled his cheek into his pillow. Briefly, he wished Draco were there, his comforting warmth, his gentle touch, but mostly, he wanted the way Draco just seemed to know what Harry needed without being told. Hermione and Ron meant well, but they just seemed to make things worse. They constantly asked him how he was doing, telling him it was okay to cry, Hermione kept telling him he _needed_ to cry. Ron kept trying to make jokes, lighten Harry's spirits. But Draco, he just reassured Harry, and held him quietly. Listened to him when Harry wanted to talk, sat silently when he didn't want to talk.

The gentle stroking continued, eventually lulling Harry into sleep. Just as he drifted into Morpheus' embrace, he felt a soft brush of lips across his forehead and he smiled slightly.

The remainder of the week passed without event. Harry found he was unable to visit with Draco due to the constant presence of Hermione and Ron. The two appeared to have taken it upon themselves to keep Harry busy and therefore prevent depression from dragging him down.

The biggest surprise for the week came in Potions class. For the first time in all the time Harry had attended Hogwarts, Professor Snape paired off the class. To everyone's surprise, except himself and Draco, they were paired together.

As he assigned them together, he snarled, "I do hope you can prevent Potter from doing something idiotic. I would truly dislike spending my Friday evening supervising a detention."

Harry glared at the surly man as he walked away. He was pulled from his sulk when Draco kicked him.

"Get with it Potter, I'm not failing because of your incompetence," he snapped. Harry fought back a grin. Harry made his way to the supply cabinet to get the ingredient for the potion they were making. Just as he was about to return to the desk, he heard Draco instruct him to grab one of the Gillypods, the seed pods of Gillyweed.

Harry's brow furrowed slightly in confusion, but he grabbed the small pod regardless. He tried to remember the ingredients for the potion they were working on but couldn't recall seeing Gillypod anywhere.

'Don't worry about it Harry,' Draco said to him through their link. 'I know what I am doing.'

Harry shrugged and returned to the desk. Silently Draco began sorting the ingredients. Harry's brow furrowed as he watched Draco subtly tuck the Gillypod into his bag.

'What are you doing with that?' he asked Draco.

'Don't worry about it Harry. I know what I am doing,' Draco reassured him. 'You will understand later.'

"Potter, make yourself useful for a change. Slice the shrivelfigs. And do it properly for once," Draco snarled at him.

Harry rolled his eyes and took the pile of shrivelfigs. Just to be obstinate, he made sure to chop one of them uneven and jagged, but made up for it by cutting more than they required for the potion.

The two bonded worked together silently, the exchange of instruction the only spoken words. As they reached the end of the potion, Harry watched Draco pull the Gillypod from his bag. Under the cover of the table, he cut it into three equal pieces.

'Turn away for just a moment Harry,' Draco instructed.

With nothing more than a brief glace of confusion, Harry did as he was told. Seconds later, there was a loud explosion and Harry found himself covered in a thick, _hot_ potion.

He let out a loud yell, of surprise as much as the pain, barely hearing Draco yelling his name in mock anger.

Snape strode over, his face flush with anger. "Potter! You imbecile! Where on Earth do you see to add Gillypod to the potion?"

Harry looked at the Potion Master through a haze of pain. Vaguely, he could hear Draco apologizing through the link, even as he was yelling at him for ruining the potion. Slowly, he felt Draco beginning to react to the potion, and Harry wondered if this was a side-effect of the spell. Like the reaction they had to the headache potions.

Somewhere in his mind, he registered Snape ordering Draco to get both of them into his office where they would discuss the numerous detentions the two boys would be receiving in the foreseeable future.

As soon as Draco shut the door, he quickly stripped the still hot robes from Harry and cast a cooling charm at him.

"Portraits," Harry muttered.

"Snape doesn't have any in his office. No pictures, no portraits, nothing that can tell his secrets," Draco answered lightly.

"I am so sorry Harry," he said, the reflected pain and the knowledge of the pain that he had caused reflected in his voice.

"The Gillypod was supposed to first neutralize the potion before it exploded. But it doesn't seem to have completely neutralized," Draco was explaining, even as he examined the spots where the potion had come into contact with Harry's skin.

"Quite right Mr. Malfoy," said Snape from the doorway. "If the Gillypod had been placed in whole, the potion would have been completely neutralized before the explosion; however, since it was cut into pieces, it achieved explosive point much quicker than it could be neutralized."

"Oh," said Draco simply, his attention focused on rinsing off the potion that was touching Harry.

"While I appreciate the fact that you understood my hint, I do wish that next time you strive for detention, please do so without destroying my lab," Snape said, when it appeared that Harry was beginning to revive.

"Wait, you did that on purpose!" he exclaimed as everything he heard began to sink in.

"Feeling better Harry?" ask Draco, still hovering.

"Yes, but um, I may need some more things explained because, well, pain and comprehension seem to be mutually exclusive," Harry said, feeling the strength returning.

"Although, in your case Harry, Comprehension seems more, optional," joked Draco.

"Well spoken Mr. Malfoy," muttered Snape.

"Um, Sir? Did you need us to clean up the lab?" Draco asked.

"That will be quite alright. Miss. Granger is doing the job as we speak. This was done in addition to the loss of 10 points for arguing with me in regards to my treatment of Mr. Potter here. She was of the opinion that Mr. Potter would require a trip to the hospital wing," he said, a slight question in his tone.

"No sir," Harry answered, shuddering slightly at how he would be able to talk the dragon-lady of the hospital wing into i not /i forcing a potion down his throat. Something that would be a very bad idea.

"Very well. For the next 3 weeks, you two will have detention with me ever Tuesday and Friday evening, starting at seven. As I suddenly find myself in need of fresh potions ingredients, we will meet at the edge of the Forbidden Forest. Do not forget your wands," he turned and stormed out the room.

Draco gave Harry a quick, last look to make sure he was okay before cleaning off his robes and leaving. Harry allowed himself a small smile before placing a scowl on his face and following after the two Slytherins.


	11. Chapter 11

Harry made his way towards his first of many detentions for this year

Harry made his way towards his first of many detentions for this year. Ostensibly, they were for fighting with Draco, or blowing up his cauldron, or any other minuscule excuse that Snape could contrive for giving Harry detention. At this point in time, Harry was pretty sure that he was close to breaking the record for the most detentions received in a year. Even the twins were pretty impressed, or so they said in their last letter to him.

Ron, on the other hand, was probably still in the dorm ranting about how completely unfair Snape was. Hermione seemed of a split mind, she was sure that Harry must have deserved the detentions, and just how could he blow up every cauldron this week? Plus, some of those detentions were probably just a cover for more Occlumency lesson, and how was Harry doing on those lessons?

Harry's mind started to spin at the rapid fire questions coming from Hermione and the ranting of Ron's fury. Sometimes, he was amazed that he preferred the quiet company of Draco. Slowly, as the demands of school were starting to build, not helped by the classes he had missed in his grief over Hagrid, they had been forced to cut their time short. Tonight would in fact be the first night in three days they had gotten together. And this would be in the presence of Snape.  
Harry had dressed for a trip into the Forbidden Forest. He really wasn't sure what to expect tonight, but Draco had assured him that Snape intended to take them off the grounds of Hogwarts. Probably deep enough into the forest to ensure they would have privacy.

Harry followed behind Snape and Draco. They were moving at a fairly fast pace and Harry trailed behind, his face set to a sullen half-glare. The link between he and Draco was quiet, the two afraid to speak for fear that they would be distracted enough to speak out loud.

Before long, the three had made their way to the edge of the forest. The closer they got to the edge, the more Harry could sense nervousness from Draco. As they slipped into the forest, the nervousness started to change to fear, bordering on terror. Harry grabbed Draco and stopped, pulling the other boy to a stop with him.

"Sir?" Harry said quietly, still fearful of the famous Snape temper and of startling Draco who was now clinging to Harry.

"What?" Snape asked, just a hint of snarl in his voice as he turned around.

"Give us a moment please sir?" Harry asked, as he tried to get Draco to look at him. The other boy had his face buried in Harry's neck, shudders racing through him.

"Draco?" Harry lifted a hand and carded it through Draco's soft hair. Gently, he lifted the boy's head until their eyes met.

"Is it what happened First Year?" Harry asked, suspecting that it was part of the problem, but remembering the vocal protestations, not believing it to be the whole problem.

"Partly," Draco confirmed, a shudder tearing through him. 'Partly because of my father. He...He would leave me outside, in the woods and he told me these stories and...'

"Sir," Harry noticed that Snape had moved closer to them, and hovered behind Draco, looking at Harry as if for permission to sooth the frightened boy in his arms. Harry contemplated for a moment before shaking his head no. "His father," he explained quietly.

Harry watched as Snape's eyes darkened in fury, he nodded in understanding. Not needing to hear anything further. "Very well, we will have to find another spot to work on the tandem casting. I don't believe that we can make it to the spot I have in mind with him already like this," Snape said, his voice soft and surprisingly gentle, in contrast with the anger that was causing him to almost shake.

Harry's mind raced, his first thought was the Shrieking Shack, but realized that it was probably, to some extent, watched by Dumbledore, plus, Snape probably wouldn't have the best of memories of that place. The only other place nearby that Harry could think of was, the new place that the twins had bought in Hogsmead. He had gotten a letter from them this week telling him about the house they had bought and the large basement that was perfect for the testing of new products.  
The problem was, how could he show up with Snape and Draco and ask to borrow their explosion worthy basement? He couldn't. Not without explaining things to him. But, the twins, they were good at keeping secrets. They hadn't given a single hint to anyone about where the money for the joke products had come from.

He made up his mind. Slowly, having felt the tremors slowing from Draco, he pulled the other boy away from him.

'Stay with Snape for a moment, besides, I think he is beside himself, not being able to help. I have an idea, but if I just show up with you two I think...well, I have to secure the location myself,' Harry explained to Draco.

"Sir, I have an idea, but I need to go talk to someone for a bit. I...it'll mean explaining everything to someone else, but I think they can be trusted. I know they can be trusted. I'll...I'll be right back."

Harry ran quickly to where the twin's house was. He knew from their letter exactly where it was, about halfway between Hogwarts and Hogsmead, set back slightly from the path. His cloak was hastily thrown over himself as he ran.

He knocked on the door and waited while one of the twins threw it opened. He didn't even look surprised as he saw no one standing there.

"Imagine that! No one is knocking on our door George," Fred hollered back throwing the door wide open and stepping aside slightly before closing it.

"Must have been our imaginary friend," said George as he wandered into the room.

"Yeah, but what would he be doing out of school on a night like this?" asked Fred looking as Harry while he pulled off the cloak.

"I need a huge favor of you guys. Um, there is a long explanation, and I don't have time right now, but do you guys trust me?" Harry looked at the twins, his eye begging for help.

"Of course we do little brother." George slung an arm over Harry's shoulders. "Just tell us what you need and we shall supply it. But if you came here looking for joke products, I'm going to have to send a Howler." He warned sharply.

"Um, no. I need you guys to go and get SnapeandMalfoyfromtheedgeoftheforest" Harry blurted out.  
"Okay, I think I heard what you said but I don't think I heard right," said Fred, shaking his head in disbelief. "Because if I heard what I thought I did,"

"Then you just asked us to get Snape and Malfoy who know you are sneaking out and aren't blowing your cover?" George completed his brother's sentence both in stunned disbelief.

"Yeah, that's about right," Harry nodded. "I promise you, we will explain but, it's a really long story and I really need you to get Draco, he's terrified where they are right now and please?"

He had felt the fear building up in Draco as he ran and just felt the urge to return to him and calm him.

The twins studied him for a moment. "Where did we get the money to buy the joke shop?" George asked.

"Tri-wizard Tournament. I gave you my winnings," Harry answered, confused at the random comment.

"Okay," they answered together. "We'll be right back. Where are they?"

Harry blinked in surprise. Quickly, he explained the location and before he had finished the two had popped from the room with a "We know where it is."

'Draco! Trust the twins!' he shot off.

He felt Draco's fear spike briefly and could only assume the twins had appeared there as suddenly as they left here. Moments later, there was another sound of Apparation as the twins reappeared, each accompanied by another.

"Care to explain Potter," asked Snape, his voice had gone dangerously soft.

"I know it's hard to believe, but they really can be trusted to keep the secret. They don't act like Ron and accidentally blurt things out when they get mad, or anything like that. They are very good with misdirection," Harry tried to explain his reasoning.

"And, they don't have much concern for the rules..."

Snape gave a snort of laughter that shocked everyone. "That's certainly the truth."

"No, we don't," said Fred, his voice uncommonly serious. "But when our little brother is involved with one Death Eater and one child of a Death Eater, we do want explanations."

Harry looked at the serious expressions that looked so out of place on the identical faces.

"I know, but it will take a little while, and we don't really have all the explanation," Harry said. Quickly, he tried to tell the twins everything about the spell that he and Draco had accidentally cast on themselves and how over the summer, they talked a lot and could sense each others emotions. Then the growing powers the two had. And what the book said about the spell.  
"I believe I can explain a bit more about the spell," said Snape as Harry drifted off from his explanation. "I have not found much information about it, but I was able to find some references to it this week. The exact means of casting it has been lost through the ages, probably deliberately given its destructive nature. All that is known is it involves and act of passion, body and mind."

Harry bit his lip.

"We fought, passionately, I tried to use the Imperious, and the potion was a hair color changing potion, body," Draco spoke for the first time.

"Exactly," Snape seemed almost reluctant to confirm the theory. "However, I believe that it is best for all if we forget that combination."

Everyone nodded solemnly. Even the twins seemed to recognize the severity of the situation. Harry sat on the sofa in the room, tired of standing and tugged Draco down beside him. He listened as Snape continued his explanation.

"The spells seems to grow out of control the faster it is integrated. I believe that because we don't know how it works entirely and your unawareness of the spell for so long, the threat of losing control of it is minimal. However, I cannot be certain of it. It also appears to be a three part spell for the full use of it. The first part is irreversible. The two of you will be bound forever," at this part, Snape had moved to stand in front of where Harry and Draco sat on the couch, snuggled together, this time, Harry soothing Draco from the lingering fears induced by the forest.

Harry nodded his understanding as Snape pulled up an ottoman to sit in front of the two boys. He was watching them carefully, concern showing in his eyes.

"I think I understand, but its okay. I think if Draco were separated from me, at this point I would go insane," Harry didn't know how to explain. At first, the presence of Draco in his mind was disconcerting, but he could ignore it. Now, they had integrated so far, that not having the extra emotions and the person to speak to and knowing if Draco was injured, he didn't think he could survive having that torn from him. He felt Draco nodding.

"The second and third parts are the parts that can be reversed. They appear to integrate you more fully, and with it, again the powers grow exponentially. It is my theory that it is misuse of these that caused the devastations of the past. As it stands right now, you two have your own separate emotions, feelings, thoughts and memories. While you do share some of them, you can choose what to remember. The second and third parts of the spell are intended to be cast at the same time, and fully integrate these aspects. You are no longer two separate beings, but rather one body, one mind, one magic. You cannot function independently of each other during these aspects of the spell, not even to breathe independently. It would seem to me that it is this faze of the spell that the control is lost, when you can no longer identify whose memories belong to whom, cannot separate the emotions. It is the type of thing that can cause insanity," Snape spoke with a level of gravity that caused Harry to shudder.

He watched as Snape reached forward and took one of Harry's and Draco's hands into each of his. A small part of his wanted to laugh at the shocked look on Fred and George's faces, both at the tale they were hearing and the tender scene between the three most unlikely people.

"Is this..." Harry drew in a shuddering breath. "Is this the 'power the Dark Lord knows not'?" Harry asked, fearfully. His hand clutched around Snape's seeking reassurance.

"It may very well be. I cannot be sure, but I feel reasonably certain that the Dark Lord cannot possibly have a soul mate," Snape said, a flash of humor in his eyes. Harry felt the whoosh of air against his neck when Draco let out a snort of laughter, and he couldn't help a chuckle.

"I think we need to sit down," muttered the twins, followed immediately by their plopping down directly onto the floor. "I mean, this is too much to handle!" exclaimed George. "Snape having a sense of humor? How much can a mere mortal's heart take?"  
Harry snickered. Snape shot them a withering glare. Harry felt Draco's shoulders shaking with silent laughter.

"How come we are still getting visions?" Harry asked.

"That is actually the easiest question to answer," Snape responded. "Once I knew what was happening, I was able to figure that part out fairly quickly. Two people cannot occupy another's mind at the same time. Draco has, so to speak, permanently taken up occupation in your mind. There is no room for another to press its way in. However, as you do function independently of each other, and you, Harry, share a link with the Dark Lord, you are able to enter his mind. There is no fear of false visions. I believe at this time, every vision you receive should be treated as valid and shared immediately."

"Wouldn't the Dark Lord be practicing Occlumancy?" Harry asked, curious.

"I believe that he is. However, from what I have witnessed of the two of you, I believe that the strength you possess is far greater than his ability to block," Snape answered.

Harry blinked in surprise. "Really?"

Snape nodded.

"I um, think we need to practice?" Harry glanced at the twins as Snape gave a very definitive nod.

"This is where you two come in," Harry said to Fred and George.

"You can use the basement any time you need," they were staring at Harry, and stealing glances at Snape and Draco, amazement filling their eyes. Harry was relived to not see a hint of fear in their eyes.

"Then I believe that we should be getting to it," said Snape, drawing away from the boys and standing up. He turned to the twins, "If you would be so kind as to lead us there, we should be able to get in a few minutes practice before it is time for us to return."


End file.
